Phenomenon

(After Maya Angelou) 
I am a phenomenon. 
Like a whirlwind 
I’ll twirl till I can 
change the world. 
I tell you—I got 
over cancer. I got 
over cancer. And 
that needed guts. 
I celebrate. 
I am a phenomenon. 
I gather friends 
while wars kill. 
I speak peace. 
I dissent with 
compassion. 
I only dream 
of one world
and love. 
I am a phenomenon. 
I learn resilience 
from the grass, 
which springs 
back to shape 
when trod on. 
I spring back. 
No abuse can
kill me. I live. 
I am a phenomenon. 
I am a human. 
My gender is 
a matter of 
course, my right. 
You cannot stop 
me for I spread
like grass. I do 
not discriminate. 
I am a phenomenon. 
I flourish on the 
same air as birds 
and bees, grass,
plants and trees. 
I acknowledge 
the Earth, the 
blood in my 
veins and birth. 
I am a phenomenon. 
I recognise every 
human as a miracle. 
I am not scared 
to say I am human. 
I am human. I am 
human—before I 
am anything else. 
I am glad to be alive. 
I am a phenomenon. 
The dust of history 
resides in my bones. 
I learn from the trees, 
the grass and the river 
that flows. I absorb 
warmth from the sun. 
I grow. The stars and 
the moon light my way. 
I am a phenomenon. 
A nature’s child that 
thrives as long as the 
universe stays, I do not 
draw margins. You are 
all my friends. I am you. 
You are me. We are 
Borderless! Beyond all 
horizons, we shine. 
We are all phenomena.
You just need to say it. 
Empower yourself and 
celebrate—we are all 
phenomena. We are of 
Earth. We love. We give. 
With other species we live. 
We are all phenomena.
We are all phenomena.
We are all phenomena.
This poem was originally published in Wild Winds: The Borderless Anthology of Poems.
Mitali Chakravarty wafts on a cloud where rests borderlessjournal.com. She has three poetry books, three anthologies and a book of essays. She’s widely published online in places like Fixator Press, Lothlorien Journal, Poppe Road Review, Literary Yard and many more.