I will crawl under my stomach
And scream to the angels watching above
I will stand still in the cold night of eve
And give my love to strangers passing by
I will sing with a fire horse stuck in my throat
And beat my anger into a wooden stick
I will look at you as you look at me
And I will say, am grown now
I will burn my clothes and watch them turn to ash
I will wave goodbye to the sorrow of a nine year old
I will wipe away the tears and replace them with harsh laughter
I will sound like a broken record on repeat
And I will look at you as you look at me
And I will say, am grown now
I will cover my body with black coal
And I will take off running towards the river
I will scream like a mad man on a fallen tree
I will beat you back when you lay your hands on me
I will hold that whip and light it on fire
I will lash it in your direction
And as it lands on your skin
I will smile as it tears that tendon and blood oozes out like a ripe pimple
I will imagine all the ox on your field fleeing for their lives
And all the broken China on the floor
I will strut with my head held high
And I will not have a decent word with you
Because you don't deserve my decency
You deserve my wrath
I will hear no excuses
And I will rectify all the wrongs you've done to me
I will walk away as you cry for my help
And I will hear of your demise from rumors on the walls
I will cover my ears if they get too loud
And will tell you
I am beautiful
I am black and I am queen
You will treat me as such
And no less
I will look at you as you look at me
And I will say, I am grown now
Let me be.
