i would...

 

I would follow you anywhere

be your queen in shining armor

ready to defend your honor

when you think no one has your back

in this upside down world

riding on my horse ladystyle blazin’

like maid marian

with locs flowing behind me

coming to your rescue

in medieval fashion

as you gaze in wonder at my bravery

your wonderful wonder woman who

knows everything about you

keeping your heart

safely in my hands

and I know I’m dreaming

but just in case you wanted to know

I would follow you anywhere

be your best friend

who stays in your corner

always having a listening ear

and a shoulder to rest on

stay at your side no matter what

your ride or die chick

your honey over the moon

and the stars

your forever and a day

yes

I would follow you anywhere

if you would only

ask...

Wisdom From an Old Woman in a Window

 

scattered hopes

and shattered dreams

her life passing before her

in milliseconds

remembering time wasted

on worthlessness

too many tasks left undone

and hopeless regrets

if she could do it all again

it would be different

no one would distract or discourage her

or take her off the path

she would stand up

and speak up

even if they didn’t respect or support

or validate her purpose

exchanging her life for theirs

and watching them all prosper and proliferate

at her expense

if you and she were to ever meet

she would tell you

to live your life

sing your own song

and dreams are never too big

they just need to be relocated

don’t stay too long

and don’t leave too soon

always have $20 hidden someplace

where no one else can find it

and always find time to pray

before sunrise

watch your friends

and let God watch your enemies

because sometimes they are identical twins

follow your heart

and listen to what it tells you

because it will never lie

drink half your weight in water every day

and fast every once in a while

to keep your soul balanced

be kind to stay cats

they keep the mice in check

and dance in the rain

when it pours

the grass is green on your side too

and it grows faster when you don’t stand on it

be grateful for small things

and put big things in their place

learn from your mistakes

without repeating them

and most of all

find another young one

and teach her how to be

the best that she can become

because of what you learned from me. . .

 

natural

when strange men

touched my afro

i felt helpless

and wanted to run away

it was so violating

to feel hands in my hair

that I didn’t want

fondling and feeling

through my curls and kinks

they said it was so uncommon these days

to see a woman with a natural look

and they were fascinated

couldn't help themselves to bother asking my name

or where i came from

they just wanted to get off

in my hair

one of them wanted to know

if it was virgin

because he had never had one of those before

the other one said

that he was turned on by the smell of coconut oil

it reminded him of being on a deserted island

with just me and him

i didn’t answer

just kept quiet

hoping they would go away

but inside i was angry

wondering why a woman

has to always be subjugated with this brutality

and can’t be herself

without somebody

wanting to touch

feel

and taste

without permission

welcome

my grandmother

always kept a pot of boiling water

on her stove

at all times

she wanted to give a warm welcome

to anyone who came intruding

at odd hours

through a shut window

or a locked door

that pot of water

was her assurance

that whoever showed up

would never forget

what it was like

to go to somebody’s house

uninvited

and next time

be sure to knock

and wait

to be

asked

in

Selah...

They twerked at church
And their father beat them
with an extension cord.
Twerking
Church
Extension cords
Father
Beatings
Five things that don’t belong together
in the same space…
where is the village
where are
the church mothers
the elders
the love
the holy examples
the prayers
where is the family
where is God
we are so preoccupied
with trying to escape from the real world
that we have left the children behind
they don’t know
that their bodies are sacred temples
because nobody told them
so they have nothing else to do
but twerk
at church
who is teaching the fathers
to talk to their daughters
and treat them like queens
instead of choosing to beat
with extension cords
as the beat goes on
and on
and
on
somebody
please find a young girl
and tell her that she’s beautiful
as womb-man
God’s last creation
and so much more than what she sees on BET
somebody 
please elevate her consciousness
teach her how to love herself
and her life
somebody
please find a father
help him to put down the extension cord
and find peace within himself
somebody
please help the church
to be the sacred space that God intends
a place of change
and revelation 
no more
twerking
beating
and vicious cycles
only light
where only sacred dances
are done
in peace…
Selah

Twerk Show

Little girls too grown
shakin’ and rollin’ and dropping like it’s hot
doing all kinds of tricks
waiting for a real woman
to teach them the way 
to be…
never knowing that
respect is learned by observation
and not by verbs
so these girls 
don’t have a chance
in this world
without a guiding light
to show them
class…
because
due to lack of demand
and an unsustainable supply
self-love
esteem
respect
& dignity
the four most important parts
of a woman
are slowly
but surely
being eliminated from the general population
and skank
is becoming the 
new black

heart to heart

perhaps he lacks the courage to love
or maybe his emotions are unavailable
finding out takes too much energy
... to waste
on recycling love that goes nowhere
giving your heart away
to an empty space
an unfeeling wall
that will only make you bitter
why do you continue
to offer yourself
as disposable…
a throwaway girl whose worth is in her panties
when his only interest
is in what they contain
he doesn’t think of you
as a life companion
you’re nothing more than a whore
he will never pay for
wake up…
smell the coffee
and realize
your value
is more
than just sex
your sacred space
is only for the one who will love you
completely
and not to be given away
for free
for attention
or out of desperation
shake yourself from the dust
see yourself as a queen
stop settling for crumbs
find the whole loaf
and sit at the table
with your king