THE HEART OF HOME

"Let the heavens resound to the magnificent sound,"

Are the words I hear when home is near.

I wasn't born or raised here by the shore,

But this place once home I do adore.

Home to me use to be DC,

But since mom is gone there's nothing there for me.

The raising of horns behind my ears,

I lift my head and stand tall with no fears.

It is the State, the place, and even the halls.

It is the Greek and friendly hugs and calls.

An HBCU so proudful and true,

There were so many ahead and more to follow you.

I knew it was home from the minute I landed,

As Miss Freshman I took the class and I ran it.

A cheerleader I became because the books were free.

A dancer I remain you will see how it made me.

Home away from home but not yet on my own,

I came thinking I was grown,

But many adult things were left unknown.

6am mornings and late nights,

Running PT with the band took my body to great heights.

I leaped with the Spartan Legion,

It got me to other regions.

Marching in Bermuda and San Diego,

Gave me dreams of carnival in Trinidad and Tobago.

I didn't have big dreams as a little girl in DC,

But I went away to college to get a degree.

To a place with 7 cities that became smaller and smaller.

My mom would visit often I was her only daughter.

A place with beaches and seafood so nice,

A place well hidden with much to entice.

757 we often call it,

From DC to Virginia we would haul it.

The military is strong I steered clear of those men,

I got caught up with a rebel a charmer and then....

I realized toxic wasn't what I wanted for me.

Five years now in school, what's it gonna take to get this degree.

I'm working as a waitress many lessons learned,

Many mistakes and consequences earned.

I am starting to fight I just want to finish,

I want to take flight and the stings to diminish.

I love the people I've met they are my family.

Some of them local some of them nationally.

This place now home seems so outgrown,

It's pushing me out, now I'm in a zone.

When home loves you it pushes you to go.

When you love it back your first instinct is no.

I'm growing, I'm learning how to survive.

At 17 I didn't think I would thrive.

This place is home because when I come back,

It loves me like it birthed me and it did in fact.

The things I love about me, who I came to be and even my character,

I owe to Virginia oh how I do cherish her.

The land is rich of history some good and some bad.

There are still so many memories left to be had.

When I gather on the grounds of Norfolk State,

My heart is full and the return is great.

The ocean waves that never stop,

The hi-hat of cymbals still has my heart.

Then you look up one day and truly see,

A place that birthed a woman out of me.

My home is more than a place,

It's timing and grace.

The love of my life use to walk right by my face.

All my dreams came true when I moved from you,

But I have memories plus more to look forward to.

The Hot Ice girl, the cheerleader, the dancer.

The Hooters girl, the waitress, the prancer.

The girl that tried to be the sorror,

The girl that had the relationship horror.

So many hats I juggled around,

But this place kept my feet on the ground.

When we see a fellow Spartan we hold our fist out to BEHOLD!

My home is my heart the bleeds GREEN and GOLD.