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touka Aug 2020
such high miles from his son
with that head of sawed off strawberry blonde

still, you'll dance in empty places
that sarabande til you sweat

nothing between you and the better air
but those feet will have to move
Psalm 40:2
"And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps."
  Aug 2020 touka
amanda
i looked down
twenty three stories

tears in my eyes
legs shaking

every intention
of falling head first

you see— i was just so tired
of having to land
on my feet
so many people
are so tired
of having to be so strong
touka Jul 2020
what if a bomb drops
comes whistling
waging, burning, busting

and everything gets blown away

before you can peek your head
through that chipped white door –
turn that dumb, stuck ****
come home to me
and call me your wife?

I don't think about it

*****'s got the window open
letting her arm get soaked
with each bomb, fat raindrop
expecting to hit Sandy Ridge Road
but rolls down the skin
of her idle hand instead

her eyes are stuck outside
looking at anything but him,

the cigarette occupying his lips
the screaming, mountain-dew-yellow of his shirt

wondering where she and he and they and them
and whoever will go after this

I don't think about it

me after you, you after I
anything in-between
if we come falling
like big bombs of raindrops

scatter into feathers
like those sparrows sold two farthings

God says He sees
tell me not to worry

tell me not to think about it
it doesn't really matter
you know what's real
burning on your fingers
you know how to feel

I've been slipping lately
oh, I've been slipping lately
touka Jul 2020
knew fullness and warmth
like midnight comes, remember
spring's first bloom wanders
  Jun 2020 touka
-elixir-
My soul burns through these eyes
while I seek you out
through this blizzard
of life.
The rain of my soul,
wets my face,
as you dried it
with your winds of light.
I am oblivious
to your presence,
yet you're there.
Amongst the shadows
of my mind,
and blood in my veins.
Made to enliven me,
like an elixir.
Intuitions are the whispers from our soul
  May 2020 touka
m a k a y l a
you are your skin
your skin is good skin
my brothers, no one should be scared to raise you
your skin is good skin

black
black
each for times you were hurt
that’s all they saw

you are your skin
your skin is good skin
Ahmaud Arbery
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