Calling poets to a greater role in public life and fostering a national network of socially engaged poets.
By Maya MarshallToday’s nothing fancy: my mother lives,
a simple pleasure. My cat made biscuits
on my knee. A woman I desire,
giggled with me, invited me to touch
a whale. I fell for a man I barely know,
his delicious disdain, his persistent smile,
flaking skin and mane.
By Candice Ilohthe parents got a phone call from the school
the school told the parents the behavior was
inappropriate something that won’t be tolerated unacceptable
By GoldenEyes open: I see every planet ————————–[pregnant]
with [pedestrians] –—————in their—————–[rivers]
& I wonder if this is the ————————————[Matrix]
reloaded in my [brain] ————the———————[agents]
telling me red is ———————————————[ripe]
[nectar] ——————for tomorrow’s——————[burial]
By Faylita HicksCrawling out from between the legs of a woman
with my name still wetly slathered across her chin,
I cradle the lewd silk of our venom
up against the hot swell of my caged chest, wade out
through her front door, into the murky billows
of the damned and the damnable,
By Aurielle MarieI always feel Black, y’ know? | I close my eyes at night & the tar behind them lids | ain’t nearly as dark as me | I wake to a thousand white daggers
By Saretta MorganMore than a decade after being sentenced I share the news with my mom.
By Rio CortezJust as close to living as you are to disappearing knowing
my limits you locate the tender spots without.
By Arianna MonetI say Well, it is a compound word, so..
Code. Noun.
A system of marking things with different colors
as a means of identification.
By Siaara FreemanWhen I say ancestors, let’s be clear:
I mean slaves. I’m talkin’ Tennessee
cotton & Louisiana suga. I mean grave dirt.
By Joselia Rebekah HughesBlack able rack able
hack able tack able
lack able slack able