Gratitude

I am thankful for this day
With my son
In the sun
In museum
In book store
In conversation
Over dinner
At home
In love

A poem a day for 2015 - day 31 - Uraeus

Locks like God's fingers
Hang down your face / I see you
Angel of my life

Booty

Mother and child

A poem a day for 2015 - day 30 - Hold

Tie me bow round your ankles
And I will wash your feet
Belong to me way thunder owns the roar
We will sit and sup the wind
Let us cross legs so you can read my thoughts
I woman this way
With poems and art
Welcome to my world
I read you easy in my wondering
Hoping you are there

Gratitude

I am thankful for breath
For seeing a new day
For my son
My family and friends
I am thankful for food and shelter
For burning scented candles
For hot baths and thunder
I am thankful for easy
For knowing that God is always where I am
I am thankful for being thankful
For grocery store runs with friends
For laughter and longs talks
I am thankful for my health
For the headache that has eased
I am thankful for a headache that is just a headache
I am thankful for my limbs
For good lungs
For the books on my shelf
And plants and
All the love around me

A poem a day for 2015 - day 29 - Dear Jaha

Simple is fish sticks
Turn the oven to 425 and wait
For water to boil and raspberry tea
Wear socks
Wear pajama pants and t-shirt
Whatever
Just be comfortable
Shower
Let the water fire down your neck
Just stand
Roll your head till the ache has almost disappeared
It will be back
It keeps coming back
The point is the moment
That one second it is gone and you are free
Free
Of the monsters in your mind
In the news
On the streets
That one second you know you are free
Safe
Hold yourself
Smell the scent of the soap
Get out
Light a candle
Write a poem
Paint a picture
Read a chapter
Whatever
Just breathe
Breathe

Gratitude

I am thankful for seeing this beautiful day
For waking in its glory
I am thankful for my son and the community of folks who help rear him
I am thankful for my friends and family
For love and acceptance
I am thankful for surprise blessings
For gas and food and bill money
I am thankful for shelter
And how comfortable I am
I am thankful
I am thankful for a job to go to today
For students who listen and understand and push themselves further
I am thankful for teachers
For this breath and the next
I am thankful

A poem a day for 2015 - day 28 - Wear

Walk my easy in the way of your knowing
How you come here me and I come
You know
You know how we do
Learn me lessons your papa taught you
Way you squeeze and know bodies like that
Paint me red with splashes of green
Let me always be new to you
In some kind of way
Swallow my fingers and tickle my knees
Make me laugh
Like how you know how

Me with Damon Turner

Gratitude

I am thankful for this day
For sleeping so peacefully
For art and poetry and friends with words
I am thankful for life and rhythm
For work this morning and love all around me
For the beauty in my world
For moment
Precious moments
I am thankful for my son and the loved ones who help rear him
I am thankful for my friends and family
For my sister
My mother
I am thankful for my nieces and nephew
For the children in my life
For adventures
For rest
For calm
For the journey

A poem a day for 2015 - day 27 - For Alexis Kane

Kansas City, MO
Three teenagers have been
Charged with shooting Alexis Kane
Multiple times
Multiple
How many shots does it take
To snuff the life out of a princess
Gone
Ever

Fourteen years old
Eighth grade
Black girl
Black
Girl

Three black boys
One black girl
Charged
Bang
Charged
Bang
Multiple

Eighth grade is for boy crushes
For fret over algebra
High tops or heels

Charged
Charged, charged
Alexis is still dead

Stop killing us
Brothers stop killing us
Taking our lives
Our babies
Breaking our
Future