In Response To A Brother's Question About What He Should Do
When His Best Friend Beats Up His Woman
Asha Bandele
snatch him up by the back of his neck run him into his own fist twice tell him who the real enemy is show him make him swallow his own teeth do not help when they scratch the inside of his throat tell him it was his fault make his eyes swell up so he looks like a freak make him go to work like that & come up with excuses why he looks so bad tell him it's the whiteman show no sympathy when he tries to hide from the whispers tell him you're sorry tell him you love him and then kick his ass again tell him it was his fault question him on why he's such a coward interrogate his ass make him beg forgiveness watch him crawl put the word out on the street THERE'S AN ENEMY IN OUR PRESENCE THERE'S AN ENEMY IN OUR PRESENCE it does not think it only attacks it makes weak-ass excuses it takes no responsibility it picks on things smaller than itself and reads sharazad ali it worships miles davis IT LIES IT LIES IT DESTROYS LIFE IT LIES!!! and if he finally understands then go to him find out where it started search for burn marks beneath his flesh peel back his pain be a brother whisper haki madhubuti to him whisper sonia sanchez let him sleep in yr arms stand alone if you have to this is the right thing to do stand alone let them talk while you break centuries of vicious cycles face the contradictions the sliced open bellies the jaws wired shut the assholes split the breasts scarred from cigarette butts and bloodied vaginas this is what it looks like do not turn away now babies beat out of wombs spines curved uneven legs that no longer walk dead eyes that do not see tomorrow livers imprinted with size 12 shoes face the contradiction that looks like u that smells like u that feels like u and push out the violence be unafraid to be a man who confronts men about women be unafraid to be a man who confronts men big mean ass nasty men be unafraid to be a man who confronts himself.