it is a storm the size of a mother fucking country of an empire of
her hugs that send baby off to the war zone, school zone
playground, what’s that sound –someone’s pen clicks and the
teacher yells, get down, he’s got a gun, she didn’t even
get a good look at him because she avoids eye contact with
the black and brown children
don’t believe me, i saw it in a documentary
and the white lady teacher said, i realized wasn’t making eye contact
with them and i wasn’t sure why, but that armed baby she chalks
an outline for is the size of Africa, her eyes pinpointed non-light
but that baby just wanna learn and be big enough
to read real history written by his grandma, not yours
it is the storm the size of a mother fucking fist of my friend’s earrings
the ones she bought in Florida where she’s studying Black Studies
bite the bitten piece and make it a whole, she’s not playing anymore
strong is them five fingers, strong the merchandise among
those selling books written by black hands, a hand that farmed and
cultivated this here plot just so one day it could bury you
Jacklyn Janeksela can be found @ felled limbs, Oddball Magazine, The Nervous
–Art by Ashley Holloway