THE COLOR OF LIFE
(for the nite nia wore red to vera's wedding,
not just a plain red, but a really, really black kind of red)
red
worn
by a black woman
high stepping
is a negroidal color
that will stop
yr heart
beat
ing / make you
pause, fall
to yr knees
& thank every god
there be
for being alive
& able to see
the color red
worn by a black woman
—kalamu ya salaam