Why Does She Stay?

In the twisted tongue of lust

In the box of unwanted opinions

Unwanted philosophies

Unwanted treachery

Unwanted stereotypes and policing

of a body that was hers before it ever belonged to someone else

And the heated passenger seats of Chevy Impalas

And the twin size beds of college dormitories

Can I tell her story?

Can we discuss her pain?

From wounds of emotional absence

Rejection from parental abandonment

Guilt from mundane curiosity

How about her shame?

Why does she stay?

with the devil who dances at her daughters crevices

the demon who fills her crack pipe

the man that she loves

so whole-heartedly

it matters not when he raises his fist

raises his voice

raises his hands to grope her neck

that’s strangulation to death

as a means to an end of her stay

Her loyalty

Her longing for good

In a house that was not a home

in mansions with fountains

in gentrified gated communities

In section 8 housing

where you hear gunshots across the street

Why does she stay

ego tripping

identity flipping

code switching

in predominantly white summer camps

summer classes

summer jobs

summer internships

just to get a job that’s permanently white washed

white seeking

white promoting

anti-black in a pro-white dystopian society

Perhaps,

​the ghetto should’ve stayed her home

where the comfort of black bonnets

and neck tattoos

and bright hair

and large hoops

and gold teeth

and desert eagles

and 10pc wing plates

brought promises

brought ease

brought security

brought PTSD

brought instability

was it a fair trade?

Her escape

Abandoning a community

Breaking generational curses

Fleeing the streets that made her brothers bleed

The first one was 14

The last one happened yesterday

The baby was only 3

So, why does she stay?

I think the better question is

....

Who helps her leave?