i am woman
can i grieve?
i am black
can i mourn?
i am queer
can i live?
Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day/Month/Season
to the maternal ancestors
Who birthed children out of trauma
Who nursed children they did not birth
Who raised children of a different complexion
We honor you
This country’s foundation laid down brick by brick on your spine
They suckled on your breast for nourishment while your own starved
We can’t forget you
How much Grio do you have in your blood?
Last night I got Haitian checked. This person wanted to see how Haitian I was. In the middle of them speaking English, they just broke out in Creole. I’m talking about that raw, direct and unapologetic Creole. Of course, I’m not one to back away from a challenge.
I speak proudly and boldly for all those kids in elementary and middle school who were embarrassed of being Haitian. Those who split their tongue in half trying to silence their Haitian accent. Much like the Haitian people, the Creole language cannot be silenced and even when we deny it, it finds a home in our broken English.
As immigrants, it’s so important to teach our child(ren) to speak/write their Native tongue(s). Speaking more than one language is a sign of intelligence AND sometimes that’s their only bridge back to the culture.
Choose
this post is for my multifaceted kinfolks
those who breathe calculus and write poetry
those who can memorize anatomical terms and choreograph a dance
those who study the law and can teach art
somehow, along the way they told us to choose
and we listened
i think we can transform our fields when we welcome all aspects of ourselves.
there is a place for creativity in law, a place for imagination in science
there is a place for precision in writing, a place for arithmetic in music
Gratitude expressed in moans
I lied when i said my eyes were blood shot red from being high. Truth is, I was really low and only had my tears for company
For those that believe… A relationship with God should not be built on guilt.
Depth
you only like parts of me
failing to accept the depth of me
love like shallow
you swallow
me whole
unpalatable is my darkness
on the tip of your tongue
you spew me back out
expecting honey molasses
my cayenne pepper stung you
expecting chocolate nuggat
my milkshake shocked you
phalasophy 