Tagged: Poetry

Black Fashion

I wont pretend that I don’t bend
to fashion’s funny game
Like I don’t strut for perfect cut
and color cloth and name

Though black and poor my mother wore
The silks and linens too
My father known for custom sewn
and tassel on his shoe

But what they taught besides what’s bought
is all I’ve truly got
They’d say fabric tears with many wears
but baby you must not

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Raised to be tired

From the time I was born to the time I was hired
I was prepped with stories of how it would be
To wish for the weekends and envy retired
To work and work and work till the wee
Now use to the abuse just zombied and wired
So tired of tired but tired ain’t tired
Of me

BIG NEWS! (I’m smiling…and no matter what time of day you read this, I’ll be smiling.)

THIS SUNDAY, I will reading my latest piece, “Letter to a Dreamer,” at…

Wait for it…

THE KENNEDY CENTER! Yep! It’s for the unveiling celebration of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT PIECES I’VE EVER WRITTEN, and one of the MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS I’VE EVER PERFORMED AT. I’m humbled an overwhelmed, and grateful to Holly Bass for having me, and Simone Jacobson for connecting me.

Millennium Stage, 6 o’clock, FREE.

Here’s an excerpt from the piece:

There have been
many anxious nights
where darkness
has slept around me

my lover
cocooned in a
coziness I have
yet to meet.

My eyes
swollen with exhaustion
my body sputtering
on its way down

but my dream
wont stop crying
screaming
like a colicky
infant child.

Sometimes I think
it needs to be changed.

Usually
it just needs to be fed.

Note: “Letter to a Dreamer” will be published in book form, and available in the fall.