woman who shines at the head 
of my grandmother's bed, 
brilliant woman, i like to think 
you whispered into her ear 
instructions. i like to think 
you are the oddness in us, 
you are the arrow 
that pierced our plain skin 
and made us fancy women; 
my wild witch gran, my magic mama, 
and even these gaudy girls. 
i like to think you gave us 
extraordinary power and to 
protect us, you became the name 
we were cautioned to forget. 
it is enough, 
you must have murmured, 
to remember that i was 
and that you are. woman, i am 
lucille, which stands for light, 
daughter of thelma, daughter 
of georgia, daughter of 
dazzling you.