Blackbone

Langston                            Bastard First-born son, Here, embrace for all: Rappers, Negroes Singers, dancers, jazz, Slammed, spinners, preach Lyrically estranged Family, cooled to the touch Let it go Let it go Poetry tells us why Animals are sworded, For they are sordid And we … Read more

Pedigree All that we depend on comes from our name. We had it all; now, with nothing to gain, Our blessings are counted, fallen to shame. Without ever knowing from where we came, (Long have we forgotten this mark of Cain) All that we depend on comes from our name. Our parents, the glory, black … Read more

Middle Passage They lost me in the water And they are wretched Wretched souls In the bubbly water It laughs At its own Cleverness At its own Deception Even fish Play its games And die beneath All of me They’d have taken all of me And used me for their starbound dreams Never truly known … Read more

Reparations Penance precedes like pennies falling on the sidewalk to a wishing pool: copper hazel sparkles underneath a filmy dream the bonds held back tucked and safe buried with the rest and births anew the tenderness left behind Oh dear, won’t you come in out of the rain   Copyright © 2009 by Ivan Lett

Gitano Waiting for the sunset Between the muraled stones The dog at her feet And her Gitano, bless him, throwing bread to the hungry pigeons on the sidewalk. She has little else And wants for less. God bless them all. Copyright © 2009 by Ivan Lett