Hush

hush

mama / don’t go out to say
poems / without me tonight
he leaks at me / with those
drooping chocolate eyes / two
& half a years / is too little time
to have known the word
sacrifice / so i try hush
knowing hush won’t stop
the crying / little stricken chest
draws rasping breath at
hush / i will be back soon
we both know hush can’t read

the bedtime story / hush
won’t twirl that afrocurl
to sleep / or let him dip
licked peter rabbit spoon
deep down in the milo tin / hush
can’t snuggle warm in bed
& smell like me / still i say
hush / pretending maybe
that he will / but
every mother knows / when
her child’s heart is breaking
& i felt the weight of his / hanging
chubby off my ankle
okay / hush
hush / okay
okay / pumpkin
i will stay

two years & some
is too little time
to have known the word
sacrifice / so i try i’ll stay
& arms flung around my neck
he says / no silly
take me with you
on the stage

Hush is published in my new poetry collection Gil Scott Heron is On Parole, which is available for order from the publisher here