//------------------------------//
// 06 And You Are…? By Gilda 
// Story: Poetry From Equestria And Beyond 
// by LyraAlluse 
//------------------------------//

And You Are…?

By: Gilda

A pegasus colt asked me, “What are you supposed to be?”
I said, “A griffon.”
And he gave me a look up and down,
Up and down like a sea saw on a playground,
And he said, “You look like a giant bird to me. Giant birds don’t have a culture.”
And the pony trotted away,
Up and down went his steps,
Up and down like a bucket plunged into a well and pulled up again,
Like the sinking feeling I felt inside me.

It reminded me of a talk with my mom,
Many years ago,
When I proudly spoke of my griffon identity,
And she replied, “But dear we haven’t been to the Griffon Kingdom for ages. Not since your father and I moved to Cloudsdale.”
Stirring her bowl of salad,
Around and around like a Ferris wheel,
Around and round,
Like my thoughts that screamed, “But I am a griffon, I feel it in my blood! “
And my mom just kept stirring.

My father once told me, “Your grandparents were from Griffonstone.”
He said this rocking back and forth in a large chair,
Forward, then back,
My eyes following him,
Drinking in his story,
And the movement of his chair.

His story told me,
I had a culture, 
I had an identity; 
I was a griffon.

Cultural day at the Junior Speedsters Flight Camp,
I dressed in traditional Griffonstone clothing,
A pegasus colt cornered me in the hallway and asked,
“What are you supposed to be?”
I proudly replied, “I am a griffon from Griffonstone.”
But he just scoffed and told me I’m a giant bird so I can’t have a culture.

The culture of my mom, who denies it,
Stirring a Cloudsdale-recipe- inspired salad,
Or of my father who defends it rocking back and forth in his chair,

The culture I embrace with all of my heart,
Despite living with ponies,
The culture I still remember even if others forget it,

The root of who I am,
Whatever generation that might be,

The product of all the great griffon heroes,
And rulers throughout time,
And legendary griffon warriors, 
And beautifully crafted griffon literature and epic poetry,
A female griffon who has culture,
And loves every facet of that heritage.