—Samuel Little
“African-American, Native American and Alaska Native women die of pregnancy-related causes at a rate about three times higher than those of white women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.”
—Roni Caryn Rabin
The New York Times
“I shout down sirens
They bring no safety”
—Danez Smith
His name is smallness / his deeds /
small.
He hungered / feasted
silence / screams
we hear it, though
a subaltern
echo /
yelping / of dogs / of men / the man / and flame / and belts
unbuckling / shame / and prayer / and breath /
and hair /
and churches /
and shrapnel / bricks / over fountains /
counters / and sitting / a waiting /
a wet / the crimson / the soil / the lash / the bracing
the warm / the opening / the eyes / the release
we are still /
we are memory
we are silent chorus
we are still. we are still
smaller /
93 plus— / pre world / no armor / no more /
we are our unborn / we are /
our
we are us / we are directing / out /
it’s our emergency, only
our
exit /
our mercy
