Knowing Black

So all my poems are about Black.

Because I know Black

I know Black like I know the South.

Know gloom and anger like I know porches and swinging tires.

Like I know swinging bodies and fear.

And plantations and plantains and dancing for master.

That’s where I learned rhythm.

That same rhythm I know like I know jazz music.

I know the Blues.

I know Black girl Blues like I know Black girl love.

Know loving a Black girl aint the easiest thing to do, especially if you are one.

I know Black girl weary.

See it in my grandmother’s bony toes and heavy heart.

But I know good cooking.

Learning it straight from my grandmother.

Know snapping peas and mamma please,

And aint no eating until everyone else is full.

I know full

I know houses full of kin, and good music, and Black laughs

I know Black men.

I know Black men like Black men know yes sir.

Know officer please,

Know I’m just trying to make it home to my family tonight

Know raising black sons harder than picking cotton

And I know cotton.

Better than I know myself

And I know sun blistering, melanin popping, eye brows fleeking,

Baby hair laid, shea butter glistening

All that Black girl magic.

I know Black folk the most magic I done ever seen.

And I know magic.

See it in the way Black mommas turn absolutely nothing into absolutely everything.

I know everything I ever learned I learned like Black folks in slavery,

Learned like this the last time I’ll ever read, or ever write, or ever pray.

I know pray

I know doing it,

I know being it.

I know Black people pray like we still on the field.

I know fields, I know singing.

I know Negro spirituals the only reason I’m here right now.

I know Black like I know the South

Like I know myself.

Like I don’t know freedom but know we aint gone stop till we taste it.

I know Black taste a whole different type of palette.

I know we aint always palatable but everybody just can’t handle how Black we are.

I know we are community

Know we float around with love in our hearts

I know Black hearts the Blackest berries I’ll ever swallow.

Sweet as honey, divine as wine.

I know Black skies burst through the inevitable

Rise and Shine.