the breed and the broken covenant.

for the 21st century

 

 

 

Some strange thing pulls me again

into the trees where I am held without

my lettering, yolk stalk. So unlike the rain

to be tethered to foal's or sunshine.

Just lost in an iron audience and

held down with shadows

and the vagueness of description;

of animal moans of a distant man.

The same man moans that a jellyfish

can make, but won't dare.

 

And I look into her eyes ( a line I have

never used in a poem) and fashioned shade

in the arrangement of leaves like crowns

of Umbundu eloquence.

I am African American.

No. Make that,

African, ultra-violet, American.

African, blues-with-a-bitter-wind, American

African pulse-of-light, two dimensional American.

 

Uxorious sugar syrup, overcomer of doubt, American.

African, quick tempered, newspaper for curtains, American.

Copping a lean in the 97 Cadi, American.

Pink suit cogent American.

Red eyed blasphemous American.

Pull a knife at the revolution, American.

African, sell-the-food-stamps, American.

African, let-the-car-insurance expire, American.

Honor the mother American.

Music too loud American.

Bruce Lee, Beyonce loving, American.

Keep the pit bull on a small chain, American.

African, kill the property value, American.

African, got laid off, American.

Get sent to the front lines, American.

Get your skin burned off by the IED, American.

Air Jordan's American.

 

 

Dance all night with the drag queens, American.

African, cell phone in the theatre, American.

Coletrane American.

Bury your good friends American.

Bessie Smith American.

Trying to rap American.

Rent due American.

White only American.

Dew rag, finger wave, American.

Big booty in stretch jeans, American.

African, piece of property, American.

Lovers of their children American.

Can't pronounce the words

so write crazy poetry

 

 

American.

Reviews

[Tree]

Damn, D. Wish I can tell you how much I felt this, like some poetry lovin' American. I read this twice, and I know if I read it again and again (which I will) I will find something else within this poem that will stop me in my tracks. The other thing and this is redundant here, is that your flow, the way you set this up was perfect, natural. For this was a poem meant to be heard not read so structure here is everything, and you nailed it. Next level piece Dana. Put it in that folder.

Diego

[caesarkreshen]

wow. The first stanza is perfect.

This whole poem is great in that there's really nothing weak in it. Nothing I could suggest cutting. It sounds very nice, too.

I looked into her eyes... haha. The reason why I like those type of lines is they break everything. It's like a reset. Still, though... I don't read stuff like other people do. I don't read through each line. I read down... if that makes sense. Maybe I told you that before. And because of that, I love the arrangement, and really I am very impressed with the first stanza. I like it so much that I can't decide which part is my favorite.

If you were to ask me at this moment (before I change my mind) I would say the animal moans of a distant man, the same moans... OH. You said same MAN MOANS. See, this is what I mean. I would prefer WITHOUT man a second time. But the jellyfish part, then, is my favorite. Sansman.

[Corset]

I read this, and then I read it out loud, and then I read it as an African American preacher at a pulpit, I laughed, out-loud, and looong, like I haven't in such a long time,
from sheer delight, you have captured everything bebase about Americans but unified not just to African Americans, whatever our skin color, we all do this. :) you are a force to be reckoned with, you should be in PRINT.

[Kristallo]

I really like this. There's a lot of symbolism in the first stanza, haunting imagery with stunning lines like, " So unlike the rain
to be tethered to foal's or sunshine.
Just lost in an iron audience and
held down with shadows
and the vagueness of description." That part leaped out and grabbed with the me iron claws of Dali-like imagination. Rooted in natural grace and grim like the shadow of being. Great job... the rest is a cultural affirmation of self, outspoken and whimsy, you shed light on the way you see yourself, and the way that society views you. I found it to be a strong and very smart piece of writing... you keep penning your crazy poetry and we, as readers, will delight in unwrapping your words. Great job!