My Other Mother

I am going to tell you
about my other mother
the one i met
at the bus stop
the one that told me
with the sincerity of sunlight
that i, was a little her
she told me
about her life
the good and the bad
and how she survived
this is my other mother
the one that did not birth me
the one that showed me
goodness
and kindness.
she spoke forgiveness
and we shared oysters
under the starless night
over cups of jasmine tea
with sugar drops.
she told me galaxies
and i saw heavens
behind her smile
as bright as day.
Several miles away
in a land
where they speak
the language of my book
there lived a woman
who did not know me
who did not birth me
under the skies in March
she gave me life.

i am a daughter
with two mothers
one suns
one moons
my left and my right.
i am a daughter
who finds mothers
in women
on the street
who speak smiles
and call me "beautiful".
i am a daughter
whose mother is earth
who is never lost
for the ground raised me.