i’m unpacking many thoughts on this 4th day of July. there is terror and suffering in so many corners of this city, nation, globe… we can and must do better as a human family. there is only this moment and we need to act now.
hearts beat on
© 2016 by margaux delotte-bennett
they have started
the tears for Orlando
the tears for myself
all week they has been under the surface
pulsating through veins
weary of having to pen
another mass shooting poem
tears for the girl
whose first serious boyfriend was bisexual
years before she knew
that identity defined her
as well
tears for nights spent sweating my prayers
in living rooms
community centers
clubs, big & small
in America
South Africa
El Salvador
looking around at the rainbow
seeing my full self reflected
& celebrated
having crushes that transcended gender
& orientation
learning about femininity from drag queens
seeing nurturing & tenderness in gay men’s embrace
finally understanding
why lesbian & loyalty
start with the same letter
these days
I’m more sexual than merely bi
but the alphabet soup of the queer community
is home
is hearth & hunger
is homage & healing
this world is not safe for too many that I cherish
including myself
we have to demand changes that will ensure
all of our survival
our outrage is justified
& our silence
has never
protected us
since we still have a pulse
breath
love & grit
there is work that we desperately
need to do
right
now
this song has been haunting me all week… just wanted to take a moment to share its majesty with you. it’s perfect for the complicated nature/ narrative of “freedom” in these united states:
“America” by Prince & The Revolution
Yeah
Peace!
Aristocrats on a mountain climb
Making money, losing time
Communism is just a word
But if the government turn over
It’ll be the only word that’s heard
America, America
God shed his grace on thee
America, America
Keep the children free
Little sister making minimum wage
Living in a 1-room jungle-monkey cage
Can’t get over, she’s almost dead
She may not be in the black
But she’s happy she ain’t in the red
America, America
God shed his grace on thee
America, America
Keep the children free
Freedom
Love
Joy
Peace
Jimmy Nothing never went 2 school
They made him pledge allegiance
He said it wasn’t cool
Nothing made Jimmy proud
Now Jimmy lives on a mushroom cloud
America, America
God shed his grace on thee
America, America
Keep the children free
America, America
God shed his grace on thee
America, America
Keep the children free
Freedom
Love
Joy
Peace
Boom, boom, boom, boom
The bomb go
Boom, boom, boom, boom
The bomb go boom.
Teacher, why won’t Jimmy pledge allegiance?
Filed under: music
guiDANCE
(c) 2012 by margaux delotte-bennett
have you danced wild
heels bloody
back twisted and strained?
dancing out the pain?
willing emotions to drip
from armpits full
and funky?
moving towards free?
dancing so you might see?
banishing the stifling stillness
that sets in?
not centered, but stagnant
breaking out of confines placed on bodies
not your own
dancing towards grown?
grooving despite what’s shown?
allowing beats in time to break through
in hue?
moving because nothing else will do?
dancing to be true?
Black & Kinky Amongst Brown Waves 