Rememory

Black Dandelion

Age four— Witnessed my first mow down */ /*-->*/

Twinkling ground stars, cut by a murderous lawn mower */ /*-->*/

Feeling the blade, I fell, curled like a snail in grief

Semaj Brown

2019

Afterward but not Afterword

^{State of Florida v. Patrick Gene Scarborough, David Erwin Beagles, Ollie Odell Stoutamire, William Ted Collinsworth, 1959, case #3445.}

Later I lower my head to my father’s chest,
the hollow where I hear his heart stop, if stop
meant speed to a stop, if hearts could gasp like a
a mouth when events stun the heart to a stop
for a moment. His eyes fill with anger

A. Van Jordan

2020

Center of the World

The meek inherit nothing.
God in his tattered coat
this morning, a quiet tongue

in my ear, begging for alms,
cold hands reaching up my skirt.
Little lamb, paupered flock,

bless my black tea with tears.
I have shorn your golden
fleece, worn vast spools

Safiya Sinclair

2016

Poems

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Rememory

Black Dandelion

Afterward but not Afterword

Center of the World

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