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Unread 02-24-2017, 09:51 PM
Siham Karami Siham Karami is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 3,372
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Hey y'all,

Having no poem of my own notably significant for this month, but as I usually try to post a number of poems by black poets on my blog during fleeting February, and by chance while reading an anthology I got from a used store, I discovered Etheridge Knight. Not having time to copy the long poem that was a perfect rebuttal to Trump and right-wing excess in general that I found in that book, I will content myself to post one rather interesting poem by Knight, whose first book I believe was written or published while he was in prison.

A Wasp Woman Visits a Black Junkie in Prison

By Etheridge Knight

After explanations and regulations, he
Walked warily in.
Black hair covered his chin, subscribing to
Villainous ideal.
“This can not be real,” he thought, “this is a
Classical mistake;
This is a cake baked with embarrassing icing;
Somebody’s got
Likely as not, a big fat tongue in cheek!
What have I to do
With a prim and proper-blooded lady?”
Christ in deed has risen
When a Junkie in prison visits with a Wasp woman.

“Hold your stupid face, man,
Learn a little grace, man; drop a notch the sacred shield.
She might have good reason,
Like: ‘I was in prison and ye visited me not,’ or—some such.
So sweep clear
Anachronistic fear, fight the fog,
And use no hot words.”

After the seating
And the greeting, they fished for a denominator,
Common or uncommon;
And could only summon up the fact that both were human.
“Be at ease, man!
Try to please, man!—the lady is as lost as you:
‘You got children, Ma’am?’” he said aloud.

The thrust broke the dam, and their lines wiggled in the water.
She offered no pills
To cure his many ills, no compact sermons, but small
And funny talk:
“My baby began to walk... simply cannot keep his room clean...”
Her chatter sparked no resurrection and truly
No shackles were shaken
But after she had taken her leave, he walked softly,
And for hours used no hot words.
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