“On My Own” by James Penha

On My Own

My own auntie voted to build a wall
against
my
husband’s
religion,
against
our
very
husbandhood,
against
my own. Auntie voted to build a wall.

James Penha
11/19/2016

 

 

“Red State/State of Red” by Ron Riekki

Red State/State of Red

My neighbor was shot on her lawn, getting mail.
Near
handprints
on
sidewalk.
Near
her
lungs,
heart.
Near.
On her lawn, my neighbor was shot, getting mail.

Ron Riekki
11/16/2016

“Orange is the New White” by Jeffrey Lamar Coleman

Orange is the New White

Beneath the orange facade, you can see the

Whiteness

of
his
bitterness.

Whiteness

swastikaring
our
Otherness.

Whiteness

beneath the orange. You can see the facade.

Jeffrey Lamar Coleman
11/17/2016

“How to Build a Fire” by Le Hinton

How to Build a Fire

Find a church to hate.
Use
hymnals
as
kindling.
Use
pews
as
fuel.
Use
hate to find a church.

Le Hinton
11/16/2016

“Sistah” by Lisa Carlson

Sistah

Voted D not because I am a woman

Not
poor

Not
gay

Not
undocumented

privileged
white
Not

Voted D not because I am a woman

Lisa Carlson
11/14/2018

“The Lens” by Sybil Ponnambalam

The Lens

the lens changes everything
black
fierce
feminist
focus
black
poor
people
plight
black
everything changes the lens

Sybil Ponnambalam
11/15/2106

“A Song for Autumn” by Rae Dox Kim

A Song for Autumn

The cold came in from under the door
Rain
Months.
Green.
Television
Rain.
Haircut,
October
Fingertips,
Rain.
The cold came in from under the door

Rae Dox Kim
11/6/2016

“chromatics” by Curtis L. Crisler

chromatics

i.
there is no more specific life
skin

god
purpose

beaten
skin

strange
bodies

own

skin
there is no more life specific

ii.
us apart from our bodies
action

house
gun

fear

action
skeletons
unspokens

bloodlines

action
our bodies apart from us

iii.
a pile of unspokens not reached
burnt

trees
crowing

racial

burnt
moths
flaring

melodies

burnt
piles of unspokens not reached

Curtis L. Crisler
11/13/2016

“Elegy” by Warner Robinson

Elegy

fear, hold us—
dark
bodies
falling,
rising.
dark
genesis,
endless,
ghostlit.
dark
fear, hold us.

Warner Robinson
11/13/2016

“Nella Larsen’s Quicksand” and “William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom” by Robert Thomas Atwood

Nella Larsen’s Quicksand

They call me Helga Crane
Quicksand
Sinking
Down
Black
Quicksand
White
Up
Rising
Quicksand
They call me Helga Crane

***

William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom

They call me Thomas Sutpen
Absalom
Twenty
Generations
Of
Absalom
White
Blood
Lost
Absalom
They call me Thomas Sutpen

Robert Thomas Atwood
11/13/2016