POEM OF THE MONTH DECEMBER 2025:
I Am the Story They Didn’t Silence
I come from women
who held the world together
with nothing but love
and whatever strength didn’t break.
My grandmother Lois
she was a lighthouse in tornado country,
guiding me through nights
where hunger scraped the edges of my ribs
and tomorrow felt like a rumor.
My mother
tired, stretched thin,
trying to protect me
with hands that shook from carrying too much.
She taught me softness
even when life wasn’t soft with her.
I grew up learning
that survival isn’t pretty,
and memory is sometimes a wound
that keeps teaching.
About the Poet: Brittiany Lema
Brittiany Lema is a Missouri born poet whose work blends raw emotion, vivid imagery, and powerful storytelling. Drawing from personal history, generational resilience, and the landscapes of the Midwest, she writes with a voice that is both intimate and boldly unafraid. Her poetry explores trauma, transformation, myth, and memory, inviting readers into worlds that are dark, luminous, and deeply human. Through books, performances, and collaborations, Brittiany continues to carve a distinct path in modern poetry one rooted in truth, heritage, and the relentless pursuit of creative freedom.