Woman, Black, and Queer

Proud of who I am,

I took to the streets with glee,

Pretending it wasn’t a sham.

Acting for just a second as if,

I didn’t feel dangerously close

To the edge of life’s cliff.

They say ignorance is bliss —

But my perilous place in the world,

Has never afforded me that sweet kiss.

There’s danger at every turn —

White supremacy, capitalism, homophobia, patriarchy,

They’d all love to see me burn.

But yet I dance,

Attempting to find joy,

Like I’m not a victim of circumstance.

Just a temporary escape —

Ignoring that just last year,

I was almost the victim of rape.

Celebrating my people

Showcasing our resilience —

That we are far from feeble.

But the hairs on the back of my neck

They raise when I see police are here —

Threatening violence to keep us in check.

Constantly on edge,

Images flash through my mind —

Hands up, bullets, chokeholds, and Black people dead.

Confetti still in my hair,

But the joy of celebration —

Gone, as if it were never there.

I shake the images from my mind,

And enjoy the rest of the party,

Until it’s finally that time.

Back to reality,

In a world that has nothing for us,

But pain and brutality.

Left, right, left, right, left..

The closer to home I get,

The more I feel bereft.

Woman, Black, and Queer —

Every moment, every day,

I spend plagued by fear.