A Black woman attempted to ascend, damn near
forbidden on this stolen land. We bit Our fingertips
watched her climb, peace an uncanny perspiration, softening
the anguish carried in a Black woman’s cheeks, collected
She double-dutched questions looped like
noose, but you can’t hang what you can’t confuse
Ketanji been had it
overqualified, and vying for a seat beneath her a Black woman waits
credentials so tall, the asses began to assume foolish posture
presented new math, miscalculated in baseless insinuations
presiding over pedophiles somehow led to summation imposter
for Her/Us quiet is the only form of proper allowed
a Black woman’s rage must not be seen, at least not aloud
so safely, behind tv screens We screamed, the shame of Our America
again, public again, obscene the way a Black phoenix has to die before resurrecting
Ketanji been had it
Never behind, but the finish line kept moving, finally the allies
began to practice what they preached, then
a Brother spoke strength to truth, told the whole world that She,
that We, were worthy, so necessary a tear dropped brazenly,
never before had I seen a Black woman sort her flowers
above the dirt and then be named a name worth repeating Supreme
Ketanji been had it
Ray Jane is a Black female poet born in Brooklyn and raised in Far Rockaway Queens. She uses her poetry to lift herself and other women of color. Always aiming to strengthen her voice, Ray Jane has participated in poetic writing workshops focused on empowering women like “RoblesWrites Presents: Respite, Write, and Release™ amongst many others and served as contributing editor for the anthology Love Letters to Gaia (2021). She is published in Lalibreta.online an online poetry journal for Women in Creative Rebellion (2021) and I Can’t Breathe- A Social Justice Literary Magazine. She has also moderated her own workshops with ¡Oyé! Group’s “Poet’s Corner” (2021 and 2022) and hosts open mics such as The Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s Thursday Night Online Open mic (2022).You can hear more of how she uses her voice in over 50 recorded poems on SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/jay-ray-11), walking around NYC on the app Hear, Before https://www.hearbefore.nyc/; and on several podcasts including We Be Imagining/Black Siren Radio, and Sound Minds Podcast’s “Potent Women Wordsmiths”. For more visit ItsRayJane.com.
Snarl 