I will have the last word.
You owe me that mister,
You know you do.
I am Black and just.
You also know that.
You also know that you are not.
Your better self helped me.
Your worst self hurt me.
What I do with it is my business.
Two men on the couch.
One salivates for power,
one prays for deliverance.
I learned the wisdom
to know the difference as
the prayer of serenity instructed.
There are two of you.
There is only one of me.
I reject both of you.
I hope your prayers
get you somewhere
without having to hurt anyone.
Nikki Wallschlaeger’s recent book is Hold Your Own which came out from Copper Canyon Press in May 2024.
the Tuesday poem is curated by rob mclennan.
