UNNATURAL ACTS

By Tim'm T. West
(from Red Dirt Revival, by Tim'm T. West)

Wednesday, August 25, 2010.

a damn trip
how some would prefer to see
his blakk fist
gum-bleeding and swollen blakk skin
than witness
him caressing my hand
him lovingly stroking my face cuz
he felt like it
that moment
and could not wait
for the safety of closed quarters
for our abysmal silence
or for the blakk body hiding night
to show love

a damn trip
how some would prefer to see
cold black steel barrell
pressed hard against G's temple
and hear the verbal exchange
that is:
"I'll kill you nigga"
from one blakk man to another
whose response is
amplified heart-beating
screaming for his life in silence
and the tremble he hope not
set off
his grave

some would prefer to see this
at cinemas or
in Hip Hop video
than see dude's full brotha-like lips
pressed against his lovers temple
soft and sweet-like
and hear the verbal exchange
that is:
"I love you nigga"
from one blakk man to another
whose response is
amplified heart beating
inside screaming
cuz love is bliss
and him tremblin' 'cause
it's so brave to love in this way
when blakk men are
conditioned to strike each other down
cut and bruise each other's innocence
rather than protect it

a damn trip it is
and I sometimes wonder
which acts some think are most
unnatural
blakk hands ended
by the hands of another
blakk man
or life
cradled, kept, cherished
adored
made safe.

With thanks to New Black Man.

Tim'm T. West is a poet, writer, community organiser and educator. In Spring 2010, with the support of St. Hope Foundation, he was named a distinguished Fellow of Black AIDS Institute’s African-American HIV University’s Community Mobilization College. You can read more about him at http://www.reddirt.biz/