Take pride, Black girl, in
Your eyes—keen, ablaze
Thick, comb-breaking hair in puffs

We were meant to be,
Here, in this place, now
Though told we’re others, outside.

                                                                             Take pride, Black boy, in
                                                                    Your smile—wide and bright
                                                                   Long, wiry arms, perfect hugs

                                                                                     We deserve the sky,
                                                                          Clouds, sun, stars and all,
                                                                Earthward they pull as we soar.


                                       You’re worthy of life
                                           But guilty at birth
                             Of living while Black—full stop.

                                          The power in you
                                        Cannot be measured
                                Narrow your life for no one

                                          Quietly screaming,
                                    Under masks and knees
                              Slowly on we trudge forward.

When we dare to be quite audacious,
Not afraid to take space, so tenacious
Fearless and brave,
No attention we crave,
Steady breath and mind calm with patience.

When we stare deep into our fears,
Disquiet thoughts bound ‘twixt our ears,
Both pupils dilate,
And our heart speeds its rate,
Seconds become minutes become years.

But what if the danger’s within?
Not obvious, hidden by skin.
Can’t see it or touch it,
No words to describe it,
Agonal, gravitational tailspin.

Taught to be silent, we don’t speak.
Learned to be quiet, words in cheek.
Swallow them whole down,
Then be shamed to the ground,
Feckless attempts to voice, bleak.

So SCREAM.
LET IT OUT.

Break          free    of     the       perimeters           forced    upon          us,

Confines constructed to keep us constrained.

Alas, mitochondria made with fortitude
Vertebrae aligned to endure

With courage we wake weekly,
With courage we battle to breathe,
With courage we connect, collectively,
Resisting the urge to slip beneath.

I am the glass in your window.
Your eye struggles to see me,
Not through me.
Unless I am cracked, soiled or ajar,
Spewing air that makes you uncomfortable.
You keep me for protection
And because my appearance makes
Your house look good, inviting.

Every once in a while,
Your eyes catch a glimpse of your reflection
In me.
So you cover me up,
Hide me from the light
And shield your eyes from seeing
Your true nature.

If I shatter under attack,
You scold me for being too fragile,
Sensitive to the hurt thrown at me.
If the sun shines too bright,
You blame me for being too transparent.
If the rain patters too loudly against me,
You chastise me for being too resonant.

But you knew what I was when you chose me,
Picked me to be here.
I couldn't hide even if I wanted to.

Over time,
The forces pulling me down
Leave me uneven.
Because though still I may seem,
Inside, I am just
A collection of millions of atoms
Constantly moving, vibrating, changing.

Care for me you could,
But instead you choose to ignore.
Eventually replacing me with something newer,
Shinier,
And more like the others.

Despite outward appearances,
we are the same inside.
My heart beats like yours.
S1, S2. lub dub lub dub.
My lungs expand and collapse as yours,
My eyes observe yours watching me
And we are one.

Our lives, separate but concurrent
Have hardened our skin,
And softened our hearts,
Weathered our faces,
And strengthened our resolve.

I, the carer by title,
and you, the receiver by name,
the roles are readily reversed.
I am healed by your trust
And you by my ken

For we are commensal parasites--
Each requiring the other to live
While we sit, vulnerable,
Ready for the taking.

In my white coat,
And your white gown
We meet, as humans
To heal.

Since the age of 4,
I’ve wanted nothing more
Than to heal, and feel
Like I belong, therefore

I struggle and try
Pretend not to cry
While you laugh and laugh
Elated to simply standby.

I plead and seek your aid,
Instead of help, you evade
All I ask of you, is for you to do
The job for which you are paid.

My blunder I can’t ascertain
My fellows you guide time and again
Until, I yet see, that the error is me
Teaching me is from what you refrain.

But the real problem here,
Is that I can’t be clear,
Of this skin I was born in,
It doesn’t exist—a veneer.

On the ground I must lay,
Your knee crushing my airway,
While to me you tell, that all is swell,
My lips blue, no air left to say

That since I was 4,
I’ve wanted nothing more
Than to heal, and feel
Like I belong, therefore

Though scared I may seem,
And left no self-esteem
I continue to fight, for it is my right
To keep pursuing my dream.

Alone I walk,
To no one I talk,
No fingers with mine interlock.

Day by day,
In bed I lay,
Wasting my whole life away.

Sad without tears,
But drowning in fears,
My voice is mute to your ears.

Always seen through,
Weighing all down like dew,
With joy, my life can't imbue.

So with no motivation,
and minimal mentation
From life I'll have full dislocation.

What is appreciation,
But a love for what is
Exactly as it is.
An attention to the details,
Every crevice, curve and bend
Without expectation of change.
Quietly observing the natural truth and beauty oozing from within.
Savoring every moment, sad and happy.

I appreciate you.

It is more than love for love's sake.
To appreciate is to hold in high value not only the tangible,
But also the nebulous. The aura. The shadow. Whole.

I appreciate you.
Not what you do, but what you are.
Not what you say, but what you mean.
How you breathe. How you move. How you embody and exude your authentic self.

I appreciate you.