They Have Freckles Everywhere

I. My Eyes

My eyes are like an oval and an almond.
My eyes are like stones in the road.
My eyes are like a pool of water.
Ocean pieces glint in the sun like shining sapphire spheres.
Travel into two worlds of black.
Travel down into the depths of wonder, into my eyes.
My eyes are like fish swimming in a pond,
My eyes, warm like a blanket, cold as ice.

II. My Birthmark

My birthmark is
one lonely dot
on the bottom
of my foot.

III. My Legs

You always have them right underneath you.
Right underneath you, you have your legs.
I love my legs because I can wiggle them
and bend them right when I want to.
They can leap and run, and jump on a bed,
and pick me up from the ground.
They swing back and forth, high and low.
I love to dance!
I love my legs because I can wiggle them
and bend them right when I want to.
Legs are what you use for walking,
kicking through the water,
playing on the playground.
I love my legs
for they can
run and walk
and wiggle and bend
and shake and kick
and swing and leap and dance!

IV. My Brain

My brain is an endless maze
A canoe floating down a quiet river.
Enter into the mists of thought,
Venture in to the distance,
into belief, desire, suffering, joy, pain
into wonder, into dreams
My brain is an endless maze.

V. My Mouth

My mouth.
Blurting out
Sound.
A sea of
Sound.
Enough
to fill the soul.
Enough
to fill the world.

VI. My Fingers

My fingers are short.
Very short.

VII. My Cheeks

They have freckles everywhere.
My cheeks are very soft,
And they have freckles everywhere.
And my cheeks puff up,
And they have freckles everywhere.

Elizabeth Alexander with students in the Hall Elementary School Many Rivers Program
© 2007 by Elizabeth Alexander