Charlis Cunningham is a 28 year old American teacher who has been writing poems since the age of five. She recently recited for Tempo her poem ‘Our Roots Run Deep’ which is about family, heritage and culture, as they are passed on from one generation to another.
OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP
Our roots run deep like the mighty Mississippi flowing from the Midwest
And out of the mouth of its southern delta.
Our hearts sit on grandma’s porch filled with laughter on a rainy day
And lives with the smell of sweet peaches baked under fresh, hand pressed dough.
Our roots run deep like coals in the bottom of a barbeque pit
Lighting up backyard aromas on the second Saturday of the month.
Family recipes passed down from aunt to niece, from grandfather to son
And from mother to daughter in a never ending cycle of soulful meals.
Our roots run deep like great monarchies of kings and queens.
Just as the great Pharaoh built his pyramid to withstand the test of time,
We build our home to be a symbol of strength, intelligence, and love.
This family is a proud legacy of our ancestors.
Our roots run deep like the soul of a juke joint bluesman.
They groove to classic hits cruising down the boulevard.
These roots of ours connect us to a continent of hope and faith.
Aunts, uncles, cousins, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents and friends alike.
Our roots run deep like a fresh January snow;
It runs deep like a baritone voice moaning on Sunday morning.
Our hearts meditate on bowed knees and to the rhythm of old spirituals.
Our roots run deep.
