kin breath

Thoughts of bringing a little black baby into this world

spinning in imitation of the external chaos that plagues

Our every breath.

Breath

Breathe

In the stillness I receive the message:

I.want.my.children.to.breathe.

Freely,

peacefully, like the coming

and going of ocean waves on shorelines.

Joyously,

and unrestrained as the choir of blessèd Black beauty

belting to God

so he may hear us.

Blissfully,

unaware of the ugliness reserved for Kings and Queens

centuries removed.

I.want.my.babies.to.breathe.

Deep belly breaths,

deep belly laughs, and cries and wails.

So we may purge ourselves of pain

Inevitable

in this white world.

So we may breathe,

easily,

Unconstrained.

Shoulders relaxed,

brows unfurrowed.

I want my kin to breathe.

Ungoverned by the belligerent

and militant

policing of Black breath,

Black Life,

in constant fight for what they declared

Our inalienable rights.