Founded in the fall of 1991, Laurel Moon is Brandeis' oldest, national literary publication. Each issue we publish features original work from undergraduate students.
it’d be afro-surrealistic
with a hint of comedy.
Funny how I find
eyes funny when they
funnily glance to the back
corner of the class with that
I’m-From-Suburbia-I’ve-Never-Seen-A-Black-Person-before stare
or
Wow!-You’re-So-Articulate head tilt.
The kind that gives me W.E.B.-DuBois-whiplash,
a double-conscious laugh,
generating theories of how I’m framed
in their soul-windows.
Rather if they see an
ape in street-wear speaking truths
spearing suburban bubbles
‘til ignorance bursts
or a negro spiritual
that peeked into a thesaurus or two.
Between the white-guilt-furrowed brows lies that
primal I’m-Not-Racist indignance
they’ve internalized since their
mother-father’s words locked a bit over their eyes.
Paleness is palatable,
more so palatable paleness poisons,
pops, critical-thought-bubbles
they couldn’t see to see.
Maybe
in a couple generations
they’ll tell their sweater-vest-grandkids
about the black kid who spoke
in the back of the class.
Kenyatta is a Creative Writing Major. He writes poetry, prose, and is getting his feet wet with screenwriting. Kenyatta enjoys making fun of himself in poems and writing. He loves lemonade and Uzo!