my great grandmother
was a dancer
and a musician
and a poet.

i only know this through stories
and on the pages of yellowing paper
that my mom possessed for safekeeping.

when i was little,
i found a box in her room,
and every so often
i would sneak in
and softly sift through the pages.

i’d read my great grandmother’s poems
all about her home,
and her garden
and her family.

never published
or to be seen
other than by a tiny girl
who would also someday become

a dancer
and a musician
and a poet.

written by kass mangione
2023