"Black queers deserve joy," a poem by Tahirah Alexander Green
A Love Story That Looks Like Me
Black queers deserve joy
i deserve joy
i want to read the story about
the awkward Black queer walking into a wall
cause they get startled by that fine ass human
who returns their gaze, with smiling eyes and says
“hell-- oh no are you hurt? can i help you?”
rushing over to help with their fioone ass
and that is the love story
tripping, stumbling in silly embarrassing ways–
like one of them opening their work computer at the office and having a heated scene from
crashpad playing loudly cause they forgot to close out incognito properly, and the other
covering for them in sort of romcom-esque scenario where they happened to stop by the
office that day and sayin IT WAS ME, THE PORN WAS ME, DON’T FIRE MY LOVE–
that’s the love story, lifting each other up
and no one dies cause that’s not the point of this one,
not this one
i deserve joy
i want to watch the indie film about the
Black queer weirdo who gets anxious about their words
but speaks anyway and it's always okay
always
and one day they realize it's cause their sibling saw them crying over their words
and summoned an eloquence elf to support them
and this isn’t any enslavement ass summoning either
the elf can only work its magic if it consents
and this elf saw this show of love
and was happy to lend its power
and the Black queer weirdo writes the most brilliant ode to their dope ass sibling
i deserve joy
i want to hear the poem about the
Black non-binary kid
the one who wears gowns and joggers
while people keep telling them clothes are womenswear or menswear
but none of that matters to them
and the kid is out and about in their mesh and gators,
glitter and snapbacks
decorating themselves for fun
imagine that?
for fun!
and naturally while they’re out there celebrating themselves
they meet another dope nonbinary being
and they get to be friends-
and there’s no bullshit,
just friendship,
and the love and trust of being seen
i deserve joy
i want a story about
how beautiful it was
for this black miracle to put their feet in the ocean for the first time
or the snow
or the sand
or fuzzy socks
or whatever tactile joy comes their way
and how it was at that moment of touching
they knew
they deserved joy too
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