I Rise in My Turning

I was told to straighten my sway

to quiet the pull in my belly

to hide the red river as if it were something to be ashamed of

but I have watched the moon,

yes, I have watched her

how she leans full and glowing

round with her own knowing

then slips away unapologetic into her dark

and not once

not once

does she beg the sky for permission

and the waters

oh, the waters still answer her call

so I stood still long enough

to hear myself

and my body said,

hush now

listen close

you are not undone

you are unfolding

this blood is not burden

it is a drumbeat

echoing the first woman

who ever knew the language of life

your weariness is not weakness

it is the sacred invitation

to lay yourself down in fertile ground

and rise different

I have seen the seasons, too

how autumn lets go

with a dignity that could make a queen bow

how winter rests without apology

without fear of being forgotten

and still

spring comes dancing back

green and certain

so I learned

to honor my own leaving

to cradle my quiet days

like a mother holds her child

to trust the hush

the empty

the in-between

because there is power

in my stillness

power .

in the dark places

where I gather myself again

I am not meant to be steady as stone

I am river

I am moonlight

I am the turning of the earth itself

I rise

in my falling

I bloom

in my breaking

I return

in my resting

and every time

I come back to myself

fuller

truer

more whole than before.

---

About Kiyaza

Zakiya Hakizimana shares her writing talent as Kiyaza the Poet, a multifaceted author and creative whose work bridges poetry, prose, design, and self-discovery. In her book of poetry, Lost Between the Sheets, she invites readers into her intimate journey through relationships, friendships, and the layered experiences of life as a Black woman. Beyond her literary voice, Kiyaza channels her artistry into Water Lily Studios, a design platform of journals and planners, where she encourages creativity, organization, and self-sufficiency in everyday life.

Her latest creation, Poetry in Bloom, is a collection of handmade, framed poems adorned with pressed flowers, celebrating beauty, resilience, and the art of storytelling.

Kiyaza’s writing focuses on the raw and reflective journey of self-discovery while exploring love, loss, healing, and growth through the lens of a Black woman’s experience.

Connect with Kiyaza!

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