Leaves Died, Too

and Other Synonyms — i held you in gloved hands, watched your warmth rise and drift from your surface felt your subtle radiance upon my arcing life line all these degrees, i didn’t know to drink more of you before the winter we all knew would come, render these moments neon snow globes lighting the borders of deep sleep —…

Or, Cavities — they say covid has killed one in one thousand Black Americans* that we must practice social distancing and wear masks thick enough to keep us from seeing the difference between where we should stand and where George is lying because covid has killed one in one thousand funny one in…

A Poem, 2005 — Audio version here. Last week marked 15 years since #HurricaneKatrina. In the midst of multiple storms (some of which are actual hurricanes #Laura), a lost spoken word piece in remembrance and resistance. Much love to my #Louisiana fam. *** Flashbacks to ‘98 when James Byrd was drug, I had a dream last…

I’ve noticed a trend. And I have little doubt that an analysis of data and algorithms would confirm what I imagine many of you suspect (expect, even), as well. So of course, I wrote about it. *** Black pics, White clicks. Thank you, Frantz. And you too, Aime. …

An Ode to Good Trouble — Eggs cracked by hands blistered on batons the night before, my Aunt T watched it on the TV — indignation plated with craft, over easy spread upon imaginations as if the mind would not devour itself, falling into cavities carved by convictions, decades of doctrines dissolved and discovered each morning when…

A Four-Part Haiku on Speaking American — I. America: cold crisp canned corn syrup hiding sweet yellow jackets II. does your freedom taste American, amber waves distilled for sipping? III. pop bottles on the corner of 4th and Fuck Your Fables Boulevard IV. crawl to river banks bloodied mud-lined shores lapping blue waves, fire: works #FourthAndFrederick #TheFireThisTime #OurNewDayBegun

A Father’s Day Haiku in Four Blocks Written Beneath Helicopters while Toddlers Build Futures — Happy father’s day to all those building builders of better tomorrows. *** LEGOS//Architects I. patient cornered shades, we love to round the edges cutting through our souls II. angry cornered shade, I’d love to round your edges cutting through my soles III. you’ve been asked nicely now, clean up your fucking mess else we melt your blocks

A Black Social Epi’s Lyrical Analysis of the Intersections/Roots of Two Pandemics — From the Upon the Body collection: Poems of/to a Black Social Epi in the Time of COVID Lyrics from song, available for listening here: BLACK//Gold *** BLACK square on the socials… white supremacist in the oval… Kap already told you… verse 1: Kaep kneeled, got peeled, bodies broken on the field/ 22 long…

#MedgarEvers — summer stars concealed by sparks from a front room, tears singed as wings of fireflies push through thick air of darkness — who will light these humid nights to starve these flames forever, mend our burned palms so we can grow futures from the fertile ash left beneath our nails after singing happy birthday twice? how many happy birthdays before we realize that it’s not candles we smell?