Queen Protea
I am made to survive wildfires,
Made to bloom again and again,
Never compromising my beauty
for my strength.
I am destined to be bold,
Destined for the light,
Here to shine,
Shine bright.
With grit and grace,
I grow wild and free,
My thick stems have hidden gems,
Powers within me.
I can stand tall
Withstand,
And reinvent when I need.
Soft heart,
Deep roots,
Strong core,
You can’t stop me.
I wear my petals like a crown,
I take space In all my seasons,
And blossom full of grace.
I am whole,
And in full bloom.
the spoken word
I conceive these pieces with the beat of my heart,
then birth them with the fire of my voice.
i am ayla
born in the east, raised in the west
daughter of two academics, both artists
masters in human rights, committed to social justice
love affair with travel, art, and food
speaks four languages, laughs in all