The poem My Body is a Tune by Ameerah Shabazz-Bilal explores the complexities of identity, resilience, and the relationship between the speaker and her body. Through vivid imagery and cultural references, the poem connects the physicality of the speaker’s body to historical and ancestral struggles, particularly those of African American women and enslaved ancestors. The body is portrayed as both a source of pain and strength, shaped by trauma but also a vessel of survival, power, and self-love.

The poem touches on themes of self-acceptance, reclamation, and liberation, as the speaker reflects on her body’s history—marked by struggles, but also filled with the music of life, like blues and jazz. The references to slavery, maternal strength, and cultural symbols (such as Harriet Tubman, tribal marks, and the experiences of Black women) highlight the intertwined relationship between the physical body and a long history of endurance, survival, and resistance.

The speaker poetically gives verse to a song of self-love and defiance, acknowledging the pain and scars, but ultimately embracing the power and freedom that comes with owning and loving her body.

Author discussion with recent readers of Breathing Through Concrete.