We are in orbit of each other, you n I rotatin, edges of atmospheres kissin in near collision.
Black presence ignited, unearths in you desire, bein lovers. Friendship misguided
In February praises. Appropriated gazes in claims your assets are mine. Lyrical blackness
Sang in your adolescence, those niggas on your tongue don’t belong. To you, black girl,
Magic Negro you can hold onto, name dropped n misspelled. A dusty thing,
Im not just the dashiki n du-rag, you recite histories for. Unioned allegiance
“Black lives matter” ’til we crowd consciences n consciousness. Where you at?
Read the letters on the pages of your awakening. Stay sleepin
We woke, cause we livin. We still black, we still brown, we still
Marchin. We still overcomin. You still tremblin at the sight
That one there smilin’ on down the road. We wear scarlet
Letters branded in our skin n hanging ’round our throats. Numbered
In name, by death, just another one Rolodexed n shelved. You still readin n tryin
n – How’s that shuckin n jivin? We are out of reach. Shani!
That’s Swahili for you see what you want when you want to be
Us? Then now ‘n forevermore, we marvelous.
DW McKinney 