8 fifteen in the morning,
huddled around a wooden framed door,
awaiting today’s moderator,
another professional development,
Restorative Practices,
the art of inclusion,
the art of accountability;
Skill building,
Cooperation,
The mutual hate among us as we stare into a dark room,
windowless,
Awaiting another 7 hour day of ice breakers,
We clutch our coffees and populate the lone corner —
— 12 capacity room in the basement,
All 15 of us,
Good morning: let’s begin

Well,
things change
I guess we're moving on
see no point in rehearsing old songs

Wrong as it is
I'll pursue your best friend
Beause I'm tired of being grown
I can't be the bigger man

In belittling circumstances
circumstantial phrases
I show my true thoughts
and my two faces

Face it,
We could've been patient
what's the fun in running laps
if we always got to pace it

However, still cute words in our conversations
exchange photos
she my motivation

momentarily
apparently,
the living virus I embody
has signaled

I'm in need of another host
I need
but I know I won't
you see there this truer quote

"you don't know what you have--"
but I know when I grab
I need you most
I'm floored when I see you pose

I'm so flawed
but, do me this favor
pose for my camera
pose for the man you want

I'll keep you as a memory
I think my picture's flawed
will forever be and cleverly
I use you, yours

Impatiently, I rush things
with no forever in sight
I cite love songs,
give me extra credit: I'm selfish

Narcissisticly
I'm incredibly guarded -- she asks why and as my valentine
she's rewarded

Temporarily,
cause like any drug store
my seasons will change
Then it's back to reality

There's no bigger picture
take this card and my cargo
I don't need it
as I backpack my way toward my evils

He speaks to me
peacefully,
I'm home unprotected
with feelings used as currency

I withdraw --
I withdraw --
I withdraw --
I take you,
I take charge
I charge love on credit cards
she hates me,

I know it
but I'm over it
I tell myself this chant: this ritual
it's both sacred and needed

**** that,
I'm back in the mix
she's overdosed
comatose words as she pleads the fifth

mixed drinks
then it's hello Miss
I use ellipses
compliment her palette as I'm mentally abusive

Then sweep her off her feet again
the villain --  
I vilify
qualify her demons

insecurities, identified--
hidden with a flagrance
the aroma
roses scattered

my time has nearly elapsed
she only talks to tea cups --
kettles
who spilled that.

He's known to flip a bat on occasion,
it's blatant
-- radiating cool kid,
a mutant?

State of union
as we're unified, we're lateral
parallel,
paraphernalia in our religions

to add to this televised broadcast
forecasting short cuts and short comings
Sure—
I'm running out of excuses tongue-loosened painfully,

but who thought,
the chief that is,
invited everyone to our ghost dance
they stand and applaud,

Me at the helm of our podium
they **** and they gawk,
you at my breast plate
the air I drink is futile I cough,

But Is it kosher?
Nova Scotian landscapes supplementing dinner,
The candles on your dessert,
 reminds me of our fire,

We once had, We flicker,
Once singular now plural -- yes adulting made us thorough,
through the rigours,
I feel different

YOU'RE TRIGGERED,
them posts traumatic symptoms I remind you of
frequently,
I listen

I sin again, I sin again
Differently,
You take me back,
Religiously,

And say,

meditation is key,
Khalad would be proud
emotionally I'm wolverine --
Untouchable,

But that was yesterday and I'm trynna say,

Sorry
I'm trynna be unguarded
as a point guard off the inbound,
Pointing to your tilted crown — Adjust it to your coils

Flag a waiter down,
Beef is not what I wanted
nor pleasant to your palette
major key — take the salmon

Overall I think we're better now,
I asked my mom about you
and my aunt about your culture
What you really need is closure

Instead of asking for permission,
settled for forgiveness,
you sweep your pride away in the name
the victim,

Treat me like I treated you
Treat me like you're bullet proof,
Treat me like those systematic flaws --
Unforgivable

You left me?

Lone star walking roads,
crowbar in hand
cowgirl I'll die for,
I died and I died again,

fluent in 6 country's,
passports; pardons
no cargo,
but luggage is a stainless steel flask,

half full,
half way,
to the moon
if you asked me?

Cadillacs in space,
expensive taste
that's masked with
— the cheap stuff,

inspired souls,
they walk,
and this forsaken path,
they'll never make hell a ***** deed or two from heaven,

counterparts
we're equals,
we're lost
they're my colleagues,

a scandal from remembrance,
remember we followed rules?
no response
****!

there's a shift
in the rubix cube, 
a memo from the warden,
no weapons in the visit room,

coordinating sin,
a taste of gin
before the see you soons,
world was much warm before stone replaced the sand dunes,

scoff at the elixir,
cordially
she casts stones,
******* of a demon crossing ponds is all the child knows,

tales of the fishermen,
who heard it through the corridors,
all and all departed,
with a fear of the other gods,

strictly prohibited,
a swig of the forbidden fruit,
who are you to judge me,
When Your Son Is Not Of Holy Proof!

wedded to a mortal said your honor,
absent i do's,
abstinence is bliss
and your crime ascends civilian law,

guilty -- you're filthy,
your son will never know your soul,
I know my role and play it well,
Your god never admits he's wrong,

so why would I?
— a baby cried,
I'm present for my son's birth,
and leave before an open eye the practice of a perfect curse.

This isn't Rome
I'm standing still because of statutes
Stone grill: I a carved marble statue
not a muscle dares,

Near frozen by the fear,
let it go I hear
over shoulder: perfect pass
if I get shot over a penalty

Is it clear?
my arms are arms?
a load chopper; in his shades,
do those aviators make me even darker?
(if I studied aviation I could take off I can hover, I can…)

Wait.
he's moving closer,
every hair strand an antenna,
I can feel him,

The smell of disdain on his glare,
stained blood on his hands,
another brother,
my brother

Guiltier with every pace so
--  show your hands,
foot mixed with concrete
I take this order serious,
my motions are motive
and mistaken for resist,

Wait.
Is it his stare or am I ******?
(Why did I decide to go my friends wouldn't believe this…)

limitations to the thoughts;
am I arrested or caught?

I'm cold on the surface,
Erode so slow is my sediment evidence,
A blue god so I'm pacified,
I'm hesitant,

he calls and I say that I'm innocent,
I'm witnessing
the transitioning from eruption to ocean
-- volcanic

Blue Medusa,
can you only sculpt destruction?
(I'm not 3 dimensional, I'm real and I matter, I'm real and I matter)

I'm real,
But I shatter,

Gravel if determined that I'm rude so I can't breath,
Gravel if My license plate removed I don't leave,
I don't speak,
I don't flee,
I'm not free,
I believe,
That this happen to my mothers, mother
mothers' brother,

Brother from another was granite
and granted he's valuable
but only in a home
-- of course

I'm quartz in the making
A corpse still shaking
Cause a wallet was mistaken
Or I.D. was misplaced

So, I'm on the rocks
since the bar says that I'm a criminal,
velvet rope divider marks my life
and a vigil,

a wake,
or a hashtag,
you choose,
glass house,
Cold Stone’s,
rocky road,
Medusa licks his finger tips

same finger which
petrified me in the first place,
Reminded I'm in Rome
as I'm standing there motionless

a statue for display
or a trophy for the kitchen,
this art is not for sale
there will be no shipping,

With solidarity
through our solidification,
It won't matter if I look back,
I Matter and I’m Black.

Me,
where do I start,

Well,
my fear: if I take that step toward you
the surface might vanish,

and I will fall involuntarily--
not for you,
but because of you