That Body

Censor the body and you censor breath and speech at the same time. Write yourself. Your body must be heard.
-- Helene Cixous, "The Laugh of the Medusa."


that body,
that, that, that
that body
that bla
black, black body,
that berry black body
must be heard.

silvery black, shackled block
slippery sloped black body
shepherded back, shipwrecked sugar
Sir Sligo
knew
sir sli
shepherded back 'gainst the shadow
of whiteness, mythical
needing entry.

that body
that, that, that
that body
that bla
black, black, body
that berry black body
must be heard

silent, slow, spoken,
wow!
Sir Sligo
knew
sex, sexy survival
served black, back 'gainst stone
smile, lean, strike a pose
yo' earned it!
yea,

tha', tha', tha'
tha', tha' black body,--
yea,
it must be heard.