A POC Magazine
Come to the Edge “Mama greets the sun like he the homie from the block she ain’t seen in awhile” –Nasra Adem I was born boiling under the heat of a West African sun at 1:30 p.m sweat pouring like bountiful rivers of coconut milk at the beach. I was born …
A Son from North Africa My cousin arrived a month ago I tell him living here is not so bad unless you are Black. He asks, do I pass for Black? I say I do not think so maybe I would mistake you for Dominican which is to say yes you are Black …
Ode to the Dirt I walk barefoot in my grandmother’s yard to be soiled in your purity. Mother of land oceans cannot swallow, creator of town and tomb. You sky for the dead, ground for the living. You allow everything to have a backbone. When I hold you I am praying with my hands open. …
10 Reasons Why Your Right Eye Is Twitching 1 The French press of dark roast in a travel thermos, sweetened with amaretto liqueur before 10 am. 2 The letter from the IRS kindly thanking in order to inform, this year’s over-payment will be conveniently applied to ’07, ’08, ’09. 3 The tax refund you get …
Says the Blood to the Slave Trader I saw you there once, head, cloud thick, smoking your ruins. There is a room and a loneliness inside it. A black hole itch I cannot reach. A piece missing. All the mestizo in one room; an island, chamber of a gun. Who …
Black Joy How uncomfortable are you That there is nothing to police here How violent we are to love each other to death Our laughs a group of hostages killed by compliments That held us up Before you made the sidewalk have to Ain’t it criminal for us to steal this …
How I Prepare for an Accounting Interview I I let my hair grow out, at least a little. I don’t want the glare of my bald black head to distract you at our first meeting, when all it comes down to is that I like it that way. It’s comfortable and convenient. I love …
“Magik” Once, I was lake wading for men with shallow hearts. ones still wet behind the ears. still sewer and salt, never saline. still thirsting for a good thing when a good thing already riddles in their throats. Parched be their alter egos still making homes in places they aren’t deep enough to survive …
When Black Men Want to Leave we heard the asthmatic baby cry when the door shut. we heard the bullet shell and body drop at the same time from miles away. heard you; that he was too busy to finish [or start] the note left us. heard him complaining about how much he didn’t like …
Joy Lane is Not Dead “Cleveland police said Stephens shot and killed Robert Godwin, Sr., the 74-year-old victim picked by Stephens at random. In one of the videos, Stephens approaches Godwin, Sr. on the street, and makes the victim say the woman’s name “Joy Lane” before fatally shooting him. During a separate video, Stephens said, “She’s the reason …