My Love Is Black by DéLana R. A. Dameron
You might say fear
is a predictable emotion
& I might agree. Whenever
my husband leaves
for his graveyard shift,
when he prepares to walk
out into the abyss of black
sky, I am afraid
tonight will be the night
I become a widow. I don’t
want to love like this. But
here we are: walking
hand in hand
in our parkas down
the avenues & he pulls away
from me. I might be
in some dreamy place,
thinking of the roast chicken
we just had, the coconut peas
& rice he just cooked,
& how the food has filled
our bellies with delight. How
many times can I speak
about black men
& an officer enters the scene?
I don’t want to love
like this. But there is a gun
in the holster & a hand
on the gun in the holster
& my husband’s hands
are no longer in his pockets
because it is night & we are
just trying to breathe in
some fresh evening air,
trying to be unpredictable, to
forget fear for a moment
& live in love & love. Art by Evgeny Petrovich Bitkin
Recommended listening: Vincent - Don Mclean The Habitat - Live on Mars: Sort Of
Links of the Day: All Aboard by Rohini Kejriwal and Sahitya Rani (I wrote a children's book! :D ) The Ephemeral Butter Art of Tibetan Buddhism
Trace A Tiny Scar, From Falling