You Will Pass Out Before You Die

"Swimming I am excellent Gliding Across the pool Ageless Timeless Head down Arms outstretched Sleek Legs tuck Then kick out Unhurried An enormous Graceful African prince From Buffalo Swimming among..."

"The Ghetto Business Let’s talk for a moment About a plague That is ravaging our communities Breaking up families Spreading crime And increasing poverty Yes it is the ghetto business And this is a ph..."

"It held her It held her something we don’t tell mama it held her don’t tell papa it held her not no teacher neither it held her it’s just an us thing it held her our little joy it held her can’t run..."

"Is There A Daddy In The House? Is there a Daddy in the house? For years I hated The drunk Who proclaimed That he was the daddy in my mother’s house I watched in shame As he drove her to work And p..."

"Memories of a Black Childhood When I was 12 Me and my brother James Would walk for hours Up and down Main Street In Buffalo One of the hatefulest cities In America Down the street From where we live..."

"Antisemitic? For Donna and Steve I find myself grieving For our friendship Three years after You left Milwaukee This grieving Is for a friendship We did not hold dear enough You gave me Your cloth..."