This is a picture of me was taken four years ago by the salt pond in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten where my family is from.

My Ancestors

By Kristin Richardson Jordan

I dig for those in my family tree

Closeted histories tucked away in the leaves

Pain’s buried then deep with longings to forget

And attempts to protect the children

So now in this generation

I dig through these leaves

Fishing for remnants and missing memories

Stories about how my people survived

For there is great strength here tucked inside my family tree