family

By Vernon Jordan, III i. raising me I hope was easy. Like the Sun of a spring day, the ease of a Fall breeze; grandma, I remember you teaching me…

Surely, no child should have to pay an additional cost–to the carceral state–for having the audacity to refuse to be murdered.

‘Tis the season to be honest right? Well here it is: I am a hoe. By hoe I mean that I am currently engaging in consensual non-monogamous relationships with men. I’m not in an open relationship. Things aren’t “complicated”. I am not searching for the one through trial and error. I just choose not to be with one man. This makes the “bringing home loved ones” clause of our holiday traditional a bit tricky because the way my phone is set up, who I ‘loved on’ last night may not be one I love on Christmas Day (or Christmas evening for that matter). With the looming expectation of marriage and grandchildren all on the horizon, I honestly cannot deal. So after careful consideration, I have decided not to bring a partner home for the holidays.

When you turned your back
I saw the scars of your fears,
urgency in denial….
I think you felt
refusing to understand
was the same as holding on.”

by Christopher Williams My brother hates me to this day. He hates me more than he hates a darkie on the street or our “slave shaded” mother. But most of…

“All I see is broke beings, attempting to empty themselves in order to be someone’s perceived archetype.

It is the oldest game, be everything to everybody; maybe they will reward your fatalism. Then when that does not work and all that’s left is base concept. You’re licensed to be the next perpetrator.

So we keep on inspiring each other to be forearmed against the perpetual enemy storming the gates; looting altars to hate and sublimating our fear of the unknown with the pain of what to expect.

There is only reciprocity in mutual debasement.”