Poets Cove
D.B.D.[Drugs Before Daughters]
By Michelle Reed
My whole life you put drugs
before me
And now at 22 do you really expect
me to call you daddy?
No sir, your name is sperm donor
and I do not respect you
Not after all the hell you put my
family through
You had one job and that was to
protect me
But you were nowhere to be found
when I was getting beat
For just looking like you
Or at least that what it seemed like
to me
My mom couldn’t beat you so she
constantly came after me
College couldn’t come soon enough
so I could finally break free
Now people see me for me....no lon-
ger am I referred to as “Big Dogg’s
baby”
I want absolutely no connection to
you
Having your face is enough
Out here no one will ask me “Do you
think your father is still out there on
that stuff”
No child should ever have to go
through that
So I left New York and never looked
back....
Now that I’m finally starting to get
my life on track
I get that familiar phone call saying
your father is back
And he’s ready to be a family
He might convince my mother and
even get to my sister
But hell would freeze over before he
gets me
I’m not about to give you another
chance to lie
I’m sick of seeing my mother cry
I’m tired of hearing my sister ask why
To be quite honest sometimes I wish
you’d just overdose and die
I was a bastard child, but I didn’t
have to be
It’s all because you chose the drugs
over me
You really think because you’re
“clean” all of a sudden we are one
happy family?
No, not with me
I won’t be around for another
repeat
Melanin glow
By: Louise Wheeler
I could tell there was certain envy by
the way my body swayed,
And I could tell that they could see
the richness in my skin...
They knew it was worth more than they
could ever imagine or even admit...
The good news is, I never needed
confirmation from them...
My black girl magic was always shin-
ing since birth.
12
Pure magic in my eyes, in my lips,
and intellect...
I bet they never saw it coming...
Cause there was always doubt since I
stepped foot on this earth.
But I now walk with my head held high.
For my ancestors who died for us...
You are never forgotten. Always re-
member that.
You shine like the North Star that
guided our magic to freedom...
And we stand here today because of
you.
We thank you. 400 years overdue...
Your tears have rained down on us...
Because they knew, you were pure
magic.
I am pure magic.
We are pure magic, as they watch our
melanin glow.