“so, you’re Colored right?”
this after asking me to
her prom. the year
’97; there are no words
to describe why: i said “yes”

II.

“historically, Blacks
had it better than women”
true as 2nd class
citizens. she forgets: once
i was legally livestock

III.

“I’m fine officer”
he left disappointed:
sorry, no rape rescue
but she remained incensed at
this insight into real life

Originally published in Word is Bond: A Journal of Urban Poetry. (2004). These poems are a play on the Japanese tanka.