Painting by Dr. Ellen Frank of Cities of Peace

 There were two gold ladies who dropped like dots—the face. of the world. The dots are connected through grandma, tatty, and mom. The dots stretched into unity—lineage. In this painting, the lineage is filled with pearls for teeth and elegance. Now, let the story begin:

Looking through the glass, there are two feminine figures. One is on the left and pushed forward—one is on the right and pulled back. This is an exchange of freedom, and the exchange happens between cousins. Charcoal skin and slim physiques outline the body; there’s no barrier even when there is. The barriers are state boarders, 12 years, fathers, lovers, and nothing at all. Their eyes still carry oceans. London lived first. It’s unknown when she was born, or even what all she knows, but I do know she was born under a full moon. She’s right and fruitful and free—an unheard meld of life…kinda like bondage being good. Pushing forward, there’s me—the I that takes the stage. I dance and swing my locs like an enchanted soul, losing nothing and everything at the same time. The best I can explain it is through a quote. Terrance Hayes once ended a poem saying, “as if what you learn making love to yourself matters more than what you learn loving someone else.” To be quite honest and unravel the quote, London taught me how to dance in and out of love and balance without letting go. To understand the delicacy of a step so intricately that you don’t fall, even in your most tough turns, is a genius. But to be frank, without London, I would’ve turned and let go. Toni Morrison once wrote that true freedom is about having the choice to choose what you’re bound to, and in this painting the two feminine figures choose each other over and over again. The process of continuously choosing someone can be painfully destructive or restoratively freeing, but the key is in alignment. Can you choose my freedom to grow, and can I do the same for you? Would you cut my hinderances, and can I do the same for you? Would you reroute for me, and can I do the same for you? These are all questions that are crucial in choosing bondage, otherwise it becomes imprisonment. I would hope that in this painting, the cousins choose to free each other, infinitely.