I suppose I should move past the teary-eyed moments
but they find their way in at the most inappropriate times
and I remember that emotions have their own
way of working themselves into life.
I should welcome them, I think? …

The phone rang and her voice
shimmied into my ear.
Every bone in my body
begged her to come,
Lay It Down On Me.

I wasn’t shy in my request.
A recent breakup made me the
rebound — implored her to
Guess Who Loves You More
and she didn’t hesitate.

…

Musical Selection: Erykah Badu|Gone Baby Don’t Be Long

He calls her up, one more time
for a memorable event
Blessing her with extras like
they do Jake cuz she’s got great rates
Put the money where it hides
tips her more than she desires

She doesn’t even count it anymore
lets it pile up like before
She’ll have enough…

It is not like me to forget to respond to a text message from one of my brothers. We’re close. We usually speak multiple times per week. On this day, we had been communicating during one of my breaks, and I mentioned heading back to work. His response, “Okay, sis…

The night before my audition, I break the nail on my big toe pretty badly. It bleeds heavily on my bedroom carpet. I stand amazed at it. I don’t even feel the pain. I had been dancing for a few hours nonstop and must’ve broken it while turning. Mama notices…

She plucks the strings of her violin. Her son sits with his toddler legs swinging just below the comforter. He claps his hands — excited for a concert especially for him. The room is high-ceilinged with stucco-based walls. …

there are no ways of explaining
I want the bigots of the world
to feel something other than stacks
of money lining their pockets or
fantasies of distasteful uprisings
at their command

I want them to feel . . .

I have lived for forty-one years in
skin that makes authoritative…

it is Saturday morning
before the birdsong ends,
my neighbor tests his drone.
he prepares its landing
just before Jernee and I
cross his path.
he giggles excitedly at his
accomplishment.

I say to him, “Like a little
kid on Christmas Day.”
he responds, “Almost.”
the joy shivering through
his skin is contagious.
I…