Reyna's Interlude

[Spoken Word Interlude: Reyna Biddy]

An ode to the black woman's body

She's been through a lot

Years and years on end, she chose to keep on

To hold on to love, then to love again

Then to lose to love again

To hug black bodies like it's the last time

Like, last time every time

To bear baby after baby

Praying this time maybe they'll be birthed into safety

Ideally a place where someone can love them

Hoping this time, we can trust each other enough to tell one another our fears

I might start by saying, "I need you"

When you go, I'm afraid to let you

I don't wanna survive alone again

Our bodies have become too familiar

With chance, with each other, with freedom

But never a chance to experience freedom with each other these days

I'm tired of sharing your body between the world and me

So, won't you promise this time, your body will make it home to me

To this love, to this unity

To this journey we're supposed to be on together

Yesterday, tomorrow and forever, today

I'll be waiting for our forever after

Nobody tells you how to survive as a black woman

So let me learn you a lesson

Black women, you are a threat on every point of the map

You are love, in its purest form, all unapologetic, all unconditional

Always too compassionate, sometimes too forgiving

But, never too afraid to show up

Black women, you are everything they knew you wouldn't be

You are gorgeous, even through the suffering

You needn't forget why

You hold the world together

Thank you for your mercy

You are the strongest form of human

Black women