Panorama
Blackness is a pleasure.
I can imagine
the long line
of women
who look like me
& wonder where
their bodies end
& mine begins.
Flesh of chocolate
A face checked
by the hand of God.
My DNA is made
of blood, sweat & tears.'
I was formed
by the whip, the field
& the chain.
Centuries later,
I embody words, books
& knowledge.
All my people watched the inferno of our bloodline.
To see my phoenix, take flight
Mama, can you see my light?
I apologize for what I didn't do when you were alive.
I am here.
Blackness is a pleasure.
I can imagine
the long line
of women
who look like me
& wonder where
their bodies end
& mine begins.
Flesh of chocolate
A face checked
by the hand of God.
My DNA is made
of blood, sweat & tears.'
I was formed
by the whip, the field
& the chain.
Centuries later,
I embody words, books
& knowledge.
All my people watched the inferno of our bloodline.
To see my phoenix, take flight
Mama, can you see my light?
I apologize for what I didn't do when you were alive.
I am here.
Shirley Jones-Luke is a poet and a writer. Ms. Luke lives in Boston, Mass. She has an MFA from Emerson College. Shirley's poems focus on culture, race, and womanhood. Her work has earned her spots at Breadloaf, Tin House, and VONA