Let me come to you naked
come without my masks
and lay beside you
Let me come to you old
come as a dying snail
and lay beside you
Let me come to you angry
come shaking with hate
come callused
and lay beside you
even more
Let me come to you strong
come sure and free
come powerful
and lay with you
Once again, it’s April and it’s National Poetry Month. You know what time it is:
Have you Ever Tried to Hide?-Pat Parker
Have you ever tried to hide?
In a group
of women
hide
yourself
slide between the floorboards
slide yourself away child
away from this room
& your sister
before she notices
your Black self &
her white mind
slide your eyes
down
away from the other Blacks
afraid-a meeting of eyes
& pain would travel between you-
change like milk to buttermilk
a silent rage.
SISTER! your foot’s smaller,
but it’s still on my neck.
I’ve been away for a while, finishing up my preliminary exams and starting the dissertation process. My return is spurred by my desire to honor some of my favorite Black lesbian poets this month. Enjoy.
Have you Ever Tried to Hide?-Pat Parker
Have you ever tried to hide?
In a group
of women
hide
yourself
slide between the floorboards
slide yourself away child
away from this room
& your sister
before she notices
your Black self &
her white mind
slide your eyes
down
away from the other Blacks
afraid-a meeting of eyes
& pain would travel between you-
change like milk to buttermilk
a silent rage.
SISTER! your foot’s smaller,
but it’s still on my neck.
Move in darkness
know the touch of a woman
a wall of normalcy
wraps your body-
strangles brightens
wrinkled ugliness
sin
fear
admission
Two days later
you shudder
& take 2 aspirins
my lady ain’t no lady
she doesn’t flow into a room—
she enters and her presence is felt.
she doesn’t sit small—
she takes all her space.
she doesn’t partake of meals—
she eats—replenishes herself.
my lady ain’t no lady—
she has been known
to speak in loud voice
to pick her nose,
stumble on a sidewalk,
swear at her cats,
swear at me,
scream obscenities at men,
paint rooms,
repair houses,
tote garbage,
play basketball,
& numerous other un lady like things.
my lady is definitely no lady
which is fine with me,
cause i ain’t no gentleman.
of hearing about
capitalist
sexist,
racist,
fascist
chauvnist,
feminist.
I am tired
of hearing about
confrontating
demonstrating
trashing,
smashing,
surviving,
jiving.
I’m beginning to
wonder if
the tactics
of this revolution
is to
talk the enemy to death.
Brother
I don’t want to hear
about
how my real enemy
is the system.
i’m no genius,
but i do know
that system
you hit me with
is called
a fist.
