Monday, October 20

Two Poems Before I Try To Go To Sleep


A Question After Prayer

for I am not gon' say but I won't be surprised if we make a baby

Should I have taken you
a long time ago
Mister Green Love for All (insha'allah)
how many times over how many years
have we laid in a bed
you whisper proposals
to my thighs
you make promises to the arch of my back
ask me to consider faith
in exchange for the way you get
when I am naked

I cannot always be naked though

used to think I
don't fight wild enough
don't stank up my face in public
don't get all up in the videos
don't move with the shakers
only to find out I did
right to stay quiet and come alone

and I do move

now you are getting older
my womb is getting restless
winter waits around the corner
and I'd like
to take my Revolution
spinning A Milli
between Fajr and Dhuhr
green in all but his eyes
which don't let me get away with a thing
and this loving
manifesting in how many ways over how many years



Things I Want To Give To You
for my darling 6th, 7th and 8th grade babies

give you your voice
and stop asking you for it
give you a microphone
and a video camera
your own spot on the FM dial
give you you
and the space where no one
will tell you to be quiet
you will know you can speak any time
and with your breath
words
the rawest ripest sounds
to ever flow out your mouth
how many griots and sages sit before me
eyes rollin at me
still I love you
here are things I want to give to you

4 comments:

GirlGriot said...

Oh, you made me happy with these today, Miss B. Thanks for poking my shoulder and bringing me over to read. Sorry I've been away so long!
~~Stacie

Rethabile said...

Wow, very nice. This is original and true:
"you whisper proposals
to my thighs
you make promises to the arch of my back
ask me to consider faith
in exchange for the way you get
when I am naked"

ahnka said...

Thank you both!
And Stacie, there is no need to apologize - we all seem to come and go and just the right time.

Anonymous said...

Love the poems!! Passionate and powerful!