Saturday, November 30, 2024

Poem by Danez Smith

Poem

 

I was born a Black woman and now

I am become a Palestinian

against the relentless laughter of evil

there is less and less living room

and where are my loved ones?

 

— June Jordan, “Moving towards Home” 

 

 

he calls them “the children of darkness” and being one myself—  having been plucked from between stars, having been born again in the dark, dark bellies of those ship, delivered as cargo  onto the suffocating light of america—i find my kin. 

 

human animals he called them, and having been ape, been dog, been mongrel, cattled and culled, i knew who was my brother. 

 

this late in empire, late meaning near its end not near its completion,  let my language be clear and dangerous as water.  let my mind’s tongue move sound, be exact  with where venom is intended and where light sought.

 

animals. he called them animals.

Free Palestine              

said the birds 

Free Palestine              

said the fish 

Free Palestine              

said the mice 

Free Palestine              

said the mountain lions 

Free Palestine              

said the cattle 

Free Palestine              

said the wolves 

Free Palestine              

said the horses 

Free Palestine              

said the bats  

Free Palestine              

said the elephants 

Free Palestine              

said the deer 

Free Palestine              

said the squirrels 

Free Palestine              

said the bears 

Free Palestine              

said the wildebeests 

Free Palestine              

said the geckos  

Free Palestine              

said the snakes 

Free Palestine              

said the dogs & cats  F

ree Palestine              

said the bees 

Free Palestine              

said the spiders 

Free Palestine              

said the ants 

Free Palestine              

said the rhinoceros  

Free Palestine              

the birds again

nature

i hear your prayer.  

see your terror.  

i know my teeth.




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