top of page

April is Poetry Month!

Writer's picture: The Black NightingaleThe Black Nightingale

I don’t write as much poetry as I used to, but sometimes they just pour out. And sometimes (like today) you find something that you typed up months ago in the middle of the night...


BLACK PEOPLE SAY...


Black people say things like fifty-leven

and eleventy hundred. Words that trip off the tongue in joy.

Less than a million but more than infinity, they continue even when I’m done.


And I’m just so done...


Black people say a minute

Measuring time in the day

A hot minute - fast as hell

Ain’t seen you in a minute - a long ass time


And I been done for a minute...


And the shit black people say

Sparkles and shines with wit

Effortless onomatopoeia

Creates singing language and shit

From the bling to the grip

When suddenly it’s “hip”

The language starts to flip

Can we just own *something*...SHIT

I’m just so done...


Black people speak in codes

We know the timbre and the tone

How to match our voice to yours

Just to get us through the door

And you parrot back the party songs

For proximity points and move along


But you won’t repeat the words

Black Lives Matter

and

Breonna Taylor

should still be here...

Recent Posts

See All

IN THAT MOMENT

We talked about you today. We made fun of the voice you made when you you made fun of yourself. We all laughed with your laugh. In that...

Comments


bottom of page