Wellness Is a Revolution

Wellness is a revolution—
not sold in Instagram squares
or pastel yoga mats rolled tight,
but the kind that trembles in our marrow,
rises from the soil, our ancestors
tilled but could not taste the fruit of.

We come from a lineage of bodies
denied,
dissected,
documented—
Tuskegee’s ghosts whisper in our blood,
Henrietta’s cells still multiply in labs
that never knew her name as sacred.

We come from
food deserts engineered for profit
Bodegas with candy and sugar and
sugar and candy
bellies swollen from ignorance
while greens wrapped in grocery store plastic,
food trapped in boxes and cans
triage and emergency rooms
reactive action instead of proactive medicine.

Care flows one way
outward, outward, always outward—
to our children,
our elders,
our lovers,
our friends,
our allies (pause)
pouring ourselves like libations
vessels emptied,
dust in the name of service,
martyrs crowned with migraines
sagging backs carrying the world.

But wellness is a revolution—
alchemized
radical in turning inward,
I matter is a mantra
in spaces that insist we don’t,
protein shake over chocolate cake
walk not just for fitness but as prayer
dig bare feet in sand and dirt
head high when you remember kings and queens are in your bloodline too.

Stretch arms here, there, and everywhere
tired limbs defying what
history says it was only made for labor.

Wellness is a revolution —
break generational curses
one boundary at a time,
one glass of water,
one planting of fresh greens
Grandma’s cooking and pops on the grill,
say their names in your prayer circles
because joy is not separate from pain
gather in homes
laugh, cry – cry, laugh
one full breath,
be exhausted by how much you danced today
To gain one night of sleep, not drowning in worry.

Wellness is a revolution—
healing wounds we didn’t make,
stitching up gashes in family trees,
becoming the ancestors of our descendants
will thank in their prayers.

Wellness is a revolution—
hold your sister’s hand,
let that brother rest,
hold space for one another
Breathe.

Your boots on the ground assignment is –

Refuse to die for systems
designed to kill us.
Dance with joy despite fear
for the children coming
Shall inherit our healing
instead of our hurt.

Our bodies keep score
Harvest the food
Schedule therapy,
more meditation, less medication
as homage to self-regulation.

Embody audacity
Believe
Joy is our birthright.

Wellness is our rebellion.
Rest
Eat
Dance
Create
Rise
This is how we win.

Ann-Marie Maloney, NBCT, AIMT, is a reading and arts integration master teacher. She amplifies student voices by teaching spoken word through her program, Poetic Voices. Ann-Marie facilitates writing to heal workshops via Becoming Enough, Becoming You, LLC, and hosts a podcast, ~ About This Life.

From the I, Too, Am America Project, selected for publication in the Amplify US Literary Journal