by Quiarah Butler
Manga and Anime convention goer
the age of knowledge grows on me and feeds
my soul, my energy, my mind, the part of me
that says “this isn’t blackness; this isn’t cool”
but in this new age of Black-awareness, it’s growing on me
Gothic aesthetics and music shape my foreground
I’m not hiding who I am anymore.
box braids down to my waist, twists and beads call back
to my ancestry, but I’m in a new age of Black-awareness
it’s in me, winds through me like a river, the blood of tribesmen and women
but in this new age of Black-awareness, it’s shaping me
Punk rock music laced with R&B, Jazzy, and HipHop timbres
fantasy stories surreal and vivid
with elves black as obsidian shooting bows and arrows
magic spells, and potions, mages and masters
paranormal stories of ghouls, goblins, and ghosts roaming aimlessly
this skin I’m in has never doubted who she is—but
this skin I’m in has doubted who she is so many times
it’s okay not to be okay and protect my peace
it’s okay to free myself from the confines of what’s supposed to be
Blackness
My Blackness
edges laid and lips full without the filler
shapely and unapologetically aware of my hips, butt, and thighs
suburban dweller who speaks with an intelligent tongue
freeing myself of what’s supposed to be Blackness
My Blackness
I’m aware and it’s not going anywhere
I’m a nerd and a freak and a geek, and I’m aware
I’m still Black, though
Category: Featured, Poetry, SNHU Creative Writing