dancing between worlds

I’m from salted breezes my parents carried 

in the folds of their voices 

Trinidad rhythm rocking in my father’s laugh 

Guyana sweetness simmering in my mother’s stew. 

I’m from the clang of pot covers knocking to the beat, 

Soca booming through Saturday morning chores, 

Calypso telling stories older than my last name, 

and steelpan notes drifting like sunlight 

across a Brooklyn fake wood floor.  

I’m from pepperpot bubbling slow and deep, 

roti rolled warm in my hands, 

doubles wrapped in wax paper 

that stained my fingers yellow with turmeric pride, 

sweetbread cooling by the window, 

and cassava pone sticky with love. 

I’m from tradition 

from “wash yuh foot before bed” 

and “say good morning, child” 

and “never forget where yuh come from.” 

From Carnival feathers tucked in a drawer 

waiting for the next year that always comes. 

I’m a first gen American— 

born beneath city lights, 

speaking two tongues in one breath,

walking a bridge built from island soil to concrete dreams.

I’m from a mother who reminds me 

that culture is carried in the heart, 

a father who teaches me 

to dance between worlds without losing balance, 

and I am learning 

with every beat, every bite, every story 

that I belong to both.

About the Author

Micah Deane is a third-year student at Arcadia University majoring in Early Childhood Education. She is a member of the SAJE Fellowship, which focuses on Social Action and Justice in Education, and is passionate about creating equitable learning environments for young children. Micah studied abroad in Spain over the summer, an experience that deepened her love for traveling and observing different cultures. She enjoys staying active and exploring new environments, both locally and abroad. Coming from parents who are from two different worlds, Micah values the richness of multicultural perspectives and carries that appreciation into her academic, personal, and professional life.