Poem on Beyoncé’s Birthday

Drinking cough syrup from a glass shaped

Like your body I wish was mine but as dark

As something in my mind telling me

I’m not woman enough for these days

Colored with reddish loathing

Which feels, to me, more significant than sun

My existence keeps going

Ripple in other people’s mouths

Pools of privilege and worship

I want, I keep thinking

I am exclusively post-everything

Animals licking my chin, new leaves stretching

From a palm plant like a man’s greedy arms

Today your open eyes are two fresh buds

Anything could be waiting.