Blackbird, midnight macaw
who no man can tame
and everyone wants to pet
they say you're crazy
'cuz you're not crazy enough
to do as you are told

hey, Blackbird
with tattooed skin
and tattooed heart
that always craves more,
I heard your cry
and it pierced me

you gave poetry
they gave you peanuts
you gave time
they gave you excuses

but still they sing to you
at your cage
taunting you
careful
your bite will have them
barking for days

Blackbird, bold bird
in a little cage
you've grown beyond your bars
followed rules
played well with others
loved grandma
supported sis
missed mom
dismissed dad
and still graduated college

your feathers of black
satin shine for miles
they lure
the eager and the empty
the aloof and the angry
the poet and the player
though few will know your midnight embrace
fewer still will see you in flight

they called you beautiful
they called you cynical
but if they didn't call
even the bars could not contain your rage, your pain

Blackbird, loose woman living poet,
wear your heart
like a black star
on your heavy breast,
a black wrought iron badge
of courage
heartache
survival
arrival

wear your pain
like the scarecrow you envision
and I will stay
and listen,
don't worry, I don't scare easily




To Alyssa

07/27/2002

Author's Note: RECENTLY EDITED, to have workshop-ed
Inspired by 'Rhinoceros woman' in Assata Shakur's
Autobiography Rhinocerous Woman Rhinocerous woman who nobody wants and everybody used. They say you're crazy cause you not crazy enough to kneel when told to kneel. Hey, big woman - with scars on the head and scars on the heart that never seem to heal - I saw your light and it was shining. You gave them love. They gave you shit. You gave them you. they gave you hollywood. They purr at you cause you know how to roar and back it up with realness. Rhinocerous woman, big momma in a little world. You closed your eyes and neon spun inside your head cause it was dark outside. You read your bible but god never came. Your daddy woulda loved you but what would the neighbors say. They hate you momma cause you expose their madness. And their cruelty. They can see in your eyes a thousand nightmares that they have made come true. Black woman. Baad woman. Wear your bigness on your chest like a badge cause you done earned it. Strong woman. Amazon. Wear your scars like jewelry cause they were bought with blood. They call you mad. And almost had you believing that shit. They called you ugly. And you hid yourself behind yourself and wallowed in their shame. Rhinocerous woman - this world is blind and slight of mind and cannot see how beautiful you are. I saw your light. And it was shining -Assata Shakur

Posted on 07/27/2002
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