First Tour of Duty and Other Poems

First Tour of Duty

carefully packs

paytriotism in the

duffle bag.

hospital corner folds

uniform shirts

cradles them like

new born babies

carrying his name.

she

watches. tells the

anger rising to

please go

away.

get the fear & pain

out of the attic of

her heart.

fuck you. tour. of. duty.

coats the tip of clitoris.

tour of duty sex

is not like in the movies.

is angry because some how

the time

crept up on him. time.

he thought he had time.

she

discovered today

she likes to dip fries

in mayo.

something about being

married/alone

makes you try things.

live life left

& why not?

try dipping them in horse radish,

honey mustard.

what the fuck? be brave.

be soldierish dip the

fries in pickle juice

make your kids

think you're gross.

make them increase the

laughter to replace

the patch

that’s

missing.

* * * * *

Did You See That?

i keep looking for you in twisted refrains

sifting through stripper directions

& slave salutations

i keep waiting for you to

remove the earth’s gems from the dwelling place

of your sheared tongue

is it cultural amnesia?

did you leave it

there

between Swahili and auction block

is your soul in ocean purgatory

bits/pieces salt possession

is the reason

brown baby lips burn with

bitches oil and bundled money

i keep waiting for you to rise up out in over those pants

hold you tight in braided knowledge

have you never seen a plantain fry?

i know they took it from you

point. of. reference.

i keep looking for you in hospital morgues

riffling through

gang signs/bootcamps/red/blue white

i dream of you

a son flower

freshly cut clean baby boy

bleeding affirmations and ancestor talk remembering

i see you walking tall

playing jimbe drums

clasping cowry shells

happy sweat beads crocheting

butterflies in your mountainous hair

pickture that

i dream of

who you used to be is am was could be

* * * * *

Anastacia (Stacey) Tolbert is a writer, Cave Canem Fellow (2007), journalist, workshop facilitator and playwright living in Seattle Washington. She is author of the poetry book, Baring My Soul, and the recipient of the 2004 San Diego Journalism Press Club Award for the article “War Torn.” She is writer, co-director, and co-producer of GOTBREAST? Documentary (2007): a documentary about the views of women regarding breast and body image. Her poetry, fiction and nonfiction have been published in, Alehouse Journal (2009, Women. Period., The Drunken Boat, Torch, Clamor Magazine, Check the Rhyme, An Anthology of Female Poets & Emcees (Nominated for the 2007 NAACP Award), I Woke Up and Put My Crown On: 76 Voices of African American Women, Essence Magazine, Number One Magazine, Timbooktu, ChickenBones: A Journal, The Nubian Chronicles, Hair Piecez, San Diego City Beat, The Pitch Weekly, Hair Piecez Anthology and The Source Magazine.

* * * * *

posted 28 May 2008