George Warren Gignilliat, Jr. Poetry Prize, 2017

 

I stand with my two feet planted firmly in the wet ground

I stand with my hands lifted, palms out - quiet. Not a sound

I stand with Taiwan, Syria, Chicago, Flint, and Persons

I stand with every nigger-lover loving all of their brothers and sisters, abroad and in person

I stand alone in a cold office - defending myself, my voice, my thoughts 

I stand ashamed and uneasy at the bloodshed - the loss

I stand with aboriginal, queer, poor, colored, and disabled folk

I’ll stand arm in arm - rubber bullets flying in a cloud of smoke

 

I stand with my immigrant sisters - adding spices, flecks of color to this southern moist air

I stand with the atheists, fairies, converters, and those who just don't care 

I stand with those who won't stand with me because of my skin

Those who won't look at my eyes - afraid that they’ll see themselves within

I stand alongside  young mothers who chose not to be - go getters with a vision... ones returning to fulfill a dream

I stand in the soles of my sisters - every single one

Green, Red, Yellow...Plum

 

From Soong Mei-Ling to Dylene Taylor

From Alexis the undefended to the vandalizing naysayer 

I stand with my enemies, whom my love may never reach 

Often times even facing them with turned, blistering cheeks

Yes, even my Tri-K sisters from 100 years ago

Who may have sweetly kissed its trunk

 

There I swung - tarred, swollen - from head to toe

 

I stand in solidarity with the peace-makers and no-shows

Kill joys and introverts - pussy loving dykes

I love my transgendered heroes

 

I will stand.. I will stand until I am pulled down and apart by age 

Back into the ground from where we all first came

I will stand and lament - I may fall to my knees then

But I will not be alone - never ever again

For my sisters, my dear Wesleyannes

Will feel our shifted weight - turn ‘round and extend a hand

 

See, it is in times like these when brightly colored thumb cuffs, like hate, has us bound up tight

We must remember that We are our strength - we are the cream and the crop

We are the sirens and the saviors

We are the beguilingly docile misbehaviors

Geniuses that will birth a nation - or not if we don't want to

We are whatever we say we are...but we will not ever. Ever.

Tolerate or tip toe around hate crimes...

We may have once, but no, my love, not this time. 

 

Not this time because last time it mattered. 

And this time it matters.

And every time matters.

And today is not the time to pretend like words don't matter.

Like people don't matter. 

Like people aren't matter, like we don't fill up space and give off energy - shouldn't we give out love? 

Freely and when in need

Like candy in clear bowls being passed 

around the library like good gossip.

Easy to swallow - easy to share.