Awed by her splendor
stars near the lovely
moon cover their own
bright faces
when she
is roundest and lights
earth with her silver

Do you ever wonder
How long your words will last
How many eyes will glance over them after you are gone.

Will my son read my writing and discover
another side to his mom he
never saw?

Will friends read my words when I'm gone and think
of how profound I once was
Will they add more meaning to my words than
I actually intended?

Who will read and create stories out of the sentences
I put together
When I'm sad

How long will these words last?

I'm going out and get something.
I don't know what.
I don't care.
Whatever's out there, I'm going to get it.
Look in those shop windows at boxes
and boxes of Reeboks and Nikes
to make me fly through the air
like Michael Jordan
like Magic.
While I'm up there, I see Spike Lee.
Looks like he's flying too
straight through the glass
that separates me
from the virtual reality
I watch everyday on TV.
I know the difference between
what it is and what it isn't.
Just because I can't touch it
doesn't mean it isn't real.
All I have to do is smash the screen,
reach in and take what I want.
Break out of prison.
South Central *****'s newly risen
from the night of living dead,
but this time he lives,
he gets to give the zombies
a taste of their own medicine.
Open wide and let me in,
or else I'll set your world on fire,
but you pretend that you don't hear.
You haven't heard the word is coming down
like the hammer of the gun
of this black son, locked out of this big house,
while ***** looks out the window and sees only smoke.
***** doesn't see anything else,
not because he can't,
but because he won't.
He'd rather hear me talking about mo' money,
mo' honeys and gold chains
and see me carrying my favorite things
from looted stores
than admit that underneath my Raider's cap,
the aftermath is staring back
unblinking through the camera's lens,
courtesy of CNN,
my arms loaded with boxes of shoes
that I will sell at the swap meet
to make a few cents on the declining dollar.
And if I destroy myself
and my neighborhood
"ain't nobody's business, if I do,"
but the police are knocking hard
at my door
and before I can open it,
they break it down
and drag me in the yard.
They take me in to be processed and charged,
to await trial,
while Americans forget
the day the wealth finally trickled down
to the rest of us.

You’ve got me writing again
But it isn’t exactly what you envisioned, is it
Because you were expecting a love song
But here we are, I’m exhausted and you’re exhausting
And my mental health can’t keep up
With your demands.

I’ve changed so much, used so many spoons
Gave all of myself to better myself to
Stand alone by myself
And here you are
Wanting to change
Who I made

And I’m tired.
I’m so tired of not being good enough
Of trying and being told
I don’t try enough
Of changing and being told
I don’t change enough
Of living and being told
My life isn’t enough
For you.

What do you want me to do
I’ve given you everything
And like I’ve always feared
You just want more.

I’m tired.
So here’s the poem you
Always wanted.
I hope it’s finally
Enough.

You told me you loved me
And then took it back
“well, let’s talk about that”

You said
“See I have a fear of jumping in too soon
because the water could be too deep
or too cold
and I can’t swim in your eyes
any longer than I have to”

You said
“but I still care about you”

And you cried

But my tears drowned you out of
my vision and I wiped my face with
my hands that only wanted
to lovingly touch you

But you took it back

And now I’m not sure
what I’m supposed to do
because I didn’t take it back and
I didn’t want to

I guess I’m just a fool
who isn’t too terribly afraid of drowning
as long as I’m beside you.

Or maybe I'm just
braver than you.

You laid in my arms and tears dripped down your face,
each droplet containing all of the things you didn't say,
but I knew as each one slid across your skin and landed on mine
that you were what I've always wished for,
and everything I never knew I wanted,
and I could have died happy right there
all tangled up in you
So I cried, too.