Black Poetry Tuesdays (June 27, 2023 Edition): "Who Said It Was So Simple" by Audre Lorde

This week's Black Poetry Tuesday poem comes from writer, activist, radical feminist, professor, and philosopher Audre Lorde. I present Audre's powerful poem, "Who Said It Was Simple, " to y'all."

Who Said It Was So Simple

"There are so many roots to the tree of anger   
that sometimes the branches shatter   
before they bear.

Sitting in Nedicks
the women rally before they march   
discussing the problematic girls   
they hire to make them free.
An almost white counterman passes   
a waiting brother to serve them first   
and the ladies neither notice nor reject   
the slighter pleasures of their slavery.   
But I who am bound by my mirror   
as well as my bed
see causes in colour
as well as sex

and sit here wondering   
which me will survive   
all these liberations."

Lorde's focus in the piece was to point out the racism and classism of the feminist movement's whiteness and lack of intersectionality. She turns the language of the women she's observing back against them, using it to underscore how the "liberations" they seek both depend on and exclude "problematic girls" such as Lorde. Audre, who openly talked about the difficulties and traumas that came with being viewed as "other" in every group her identities were part of, keeps it short and sweet with this piece. But you can also sense her exhaustion, her need to make sure her identities were viewed as relevant and not tokenized. This piece was written in 1973 but is still relevant and impactful in 2023.

You can learn more about Audre Lorde here.

On Normalizing a New Normal

Normalize walking away from people and relationships that do not energize, elevate, comfort, or support you, your trauma, and your healing how you need them to.

Normalize walking away from people and relationships that let it be known, blatantly or subtly, that your focusing on your health and well-being is somehow an affront to their toxicity and how they want to use your shoulders to carry their trauma.

Normalize the understanding that blood may be thicker than water, but they are both liquids with the power to drown you, body and soul, and you deserve to remain undrowned.

Normalize that there is a thin line between codependence and helping and supporting those you love and that the line is so thin because, for many of us, it is a taut thread of generational and societal trauma that our families and friends are scared to tug on lest it unravels and leave us to face our traumas raw and unfiltered.

Normalize embodying that you are enough and deserve to rest, heal, and be surrounded by supportive people who care about you and your needs.

Normalize that all of the above-mentioned are not selfish thoughts.

Normalize a new normal.

We all deserve that.

Black Poetry Tuesdays (June 20, 2023 Edition): "I Apologize" by Oscar Brown, Jr.

Let's start a new weekly tradition, y'all. Here's the first installment of Black Poetry Tuesdays, an opportunity to be exposed to poets you've never heard of and works from those whose mainstream works might be more familiar than their B-sides.

Let's start with a lil' satire in the form of "I Apologize" from the late great singer-songwriter Oscar Brown, Jr.

I Apologize

"I apologize for being black

All I am plus all I lack

Please, sir, please, ma'am

Give me some slack

‘Cause I apologize

I apologize for being poor

For being sick and tired and sore

Since I ain’t slick

Don’t know the score

I do apologize

I apologize because I bear

Resemblance most black people share

Thick lips, flat nose, and nappy hair

Yes I apologize

I apologize for how I look

For all of the lows and blows I took

On those, Lord knows, I’d close the book

As I apologize

I apologize for all I gave

For letting you make me yo’ slave

And going to my early grave

Yes I apologize

I apologize for being caught

For being sold, for being bought

For being told I count for naught

Yeah I apologize

I apologize for all I’ve done

For all my toil out in the sun

Don’t want to spoil your righteous fun

So I apologize

I apologize and curse my kind

For being fooled, for being blind

For being ruled and in your bind

Yes I apologize

I apologize and curse my feet

For being slow, for being late

Because I know it’s me you hate

Why not apologize

I apologize and tip my hat

‘Cause you so rich and free and fat

Son of a bitch, that’s where it’s at

And I apologize."

Learn more about Oscar Brown, Jr. here.

On Juneteenth and Bank Holidays

TW: mentions sexual assault, rape, white supremacy, and chattel slavery.

I do not like that Juneteenth is a federal holiday. I have always wanted the unmelanted masses to be educated on the history and significance of Juneteenth, but I never wanted it to be recognized as a damn bank holiday. Why?

Because I will never be OK with people of pallor having Juneteenth off work like it’s just another three-day weekend.

Like, what are you off of work for, white people? Are you comfortable chillin’ out on what should be a day of service and reflection for your people? Do y'all think you somehow deserve a day off that directly results from the generational trauma your ancestors created that we're all still impacted by?

Do you look at Juneteenth as a celebration that you get to participate in? If so, what are you celebrating? Are you celebrating the fact that your ancestors enslaved, murdered, and raped my ancestors and then willingly neglected to inform my ancestors that they were technically free and no longer their hateful owners? Are you celebrating the ongoing appropriation, subjugation, and murder that your ancestors popularized as suitable actions toward my ancestors that you and yours still perpetuate?

I will say this every year until the day I die: Juneteenth is not for you, white people.

White people: Until y'all do right by me and mine, may your Juneteenth barbecues lack seasoning, your “red velvet” cupcakes lack moisture, and your red punch taste like bog water.

And you can read that last part in your head in the voice of Celie from The Color Purple.

And note that I said “in your head” because you better not do a Celie impression out loud!

On Looking Both Ways and Frog-Based Evasion Maneuvers

I look both ways when I cross the street. Even when crossing a one-way street, I look both ways. Why?

Because some of y'all think you're driving in the right direction until you run someone over. Then you expect the instant gratification of instantaneous forgiveness for doing the bare minimum to atone for your actions. And when you don't get instant gratification, your sincere apology devolves into blaming the person you ran over for being in your way and getting run over.

Some of y'all know you're not driving in the right direction, and don't skip a beat in your forward movement when you run someone over. And when you're asked to atone and do better in the future, you can't help but unleash anger you feel is justified toward those you've run over. Hell, sometimes y'all hit reverse and run those you've already hit over again.

And some of you realize you're not driving in the right direction but think you can go the wrong way just this once. You know that no one will notice or hold you accountable for your actions. You’ve got privilege on your side. Besides, it's not that big of a deal, right? So what if you go the wrong direction and graze a few people? They'll be fine. The people you've hit? They need to get over it. And if they don't want to "get over it" and expect you to be accountable for your actions? Well, they're blowing things out of proportion. It's not like you killed them or anything, right? They can walk it off!

And many of y'all are going in the right direction and still running folx over. And instead of staying with the person you've run over until help arrives, y'all put the pedal to the floor and get the hell out of dodge. I mean, you've got a reputation to maintain. You're a good person. You donated to causes last year and marched in your city after George Floyd was murdered. You're one of the good ones. You can't have people out here thinking you don't care if you harm others. So what if the person you just hit is trying to get back to their feet and looking your way, expecting you to take responsibility for your actions? If they only knew the kind of person you are, they would understand this was just a mistake. Never mind that you did the same thing a week ago. You're a good person, dammit!

So, of course, I look both ways when I cross the street, even when crossing a one-way street. What kind of fool do you think I am? Do I look like Boo-Boo the Fool to you? What do I look like stepping off the curb just because the light turned green and expecting some of y'all not to run me over after centuries of watching people like me, people who are just trying to cross the damn street, getting run over and receiving no justice?

Some of us spend our entire lives trying to get across the street with as many of our parts, emotions, and faculties intact as possible.

And some of y'all are out here playing Frogger.

Some of y'all need to change more than just a dollar for four quarters.