Poetry by Troy Parker

I am Black: A sister’s self-affirmation
By Troy Parker
For Misha and Jenna

I am Black
as I am,
completely,
perfectly,
beautiful.

My own incomparable phenomenal.
Me;
Woman.

Of the ancient order superb
fashioned:
of the earthen and celestial pedigree.
Surely His work garners not mystery.
If I am
as I am
Black:
But one of many beautiful reflections
of He.

The sublime epitome.
Strong and resolute as I am,
undoubtedly born to be
fortified.

As even the coveted heartwood
of a mighty Ebon tree.
Firmly rooted. Dewy.

By the dawn of my immaculate inception.
Born thrice of loves labor and
of soulful veneration.

I am sated, yet,
reaching and reveling,
Nether still.
Nether still, yet,
ever
still.

Growing. Learning. Emerging.
Expanding. Weathering.
Sheltering.

I am Black.
Meaning, beautiful.
Behold.
A Queen!

The incomparable phenomenal woman
in me.
As I am.

Braided and beaming with hope
and
of joyful effervescence.
For I am.

The solvent absolute.
A realm.
Unto my own inky perfect
Black.

Nature’s soulful equilibrist
crafted to utter balance.
Melanated are I
as I am,
meaning we.

The innumerable, continual myriad
of you.
Receptive to and filled with
the iridescent, vital life-essence
of the creator’s love.
All-inclusive, unconditional and
free of reserve.
Inundating.

Hence, I am
as I am…
The incomparable phenomenal I
standing amidst the world.
Firm and unswayed.
Bold.

And virtuously upright.
Gratified and bonafied in His truth.
I am boss.
For lack of or want of a better term,
Boss! Yet,
basic.

As in fundamental and humbly efficient
in my service
of all-encompassing love, truth
and justice for all.
However grand the plan or miniscule in
deed or kind.
In the end, it all beats to the same drum.
Belonging
to our one and collective Black
mind.

As sure as the earth ventures round
and upon which we presently dwell,
since time immemorial.
Life
is indeed glorious.
And love?
It will ever remain personified
as the incomparable phenomenal
wise and knowing “I”.

From my birth
to my inevitable return to the dust.
Only to be reborn. Again.
And again.
Original.
The ancient model.

Strong and resolute as
the roots
of a mighty Ebon tree,
or even your morning cup of coffee.
No sugar.
No cream.

For I am
as I am.
Unfiltered.
Dominant. Black.
Woman.
Counterpart.
Mother. And,
deliverer
of princes,
kings,
emperors,
warriors and
paupers alike.

I am Black.
My own incomparable phenomenal me.
The universal solvent
of all that I have been
and
will ever remain to be…

Makeda.
Nzinga.
Aset.
Cleopatra.
Dr. Better Shabazz.
And Dr. Maya Angelou.

Know that I stand in awe of you.
For in this,
our realm
of inky, perfect Black,
I know that I stand not alone,
neither ancestral or cosmic.
So hail and praise to the mothers.
Grandmothers. Aunties. And cousins
With special mention to my fierce sisters
and mighty Yoruba Warrior Queens.
Yemayá, Oshún, Oyá and Oba indeed.
For through your great strength, love and
grace,
I walk this earth proud
and utterly determined
to turn a strong Black face to the world
at every chance
and no matter the cost.

Have you not heard?
I am Black
as I am beautiful.
My own incomparable phenomenal me.
Woman:
Primordial daughter and mother
arisen.
Your earthen Goddess
and
bearer of life.
Benevolent. Beautiful.
With no capacity or care
for being easy breezy.

I am bodacious.
Bubbly.
Brown-eyed.
Butter almond.
Or any subsequent shade
born of the universal spectrum
and,
yet,
as unique as the Beholder may desire
or revel in
through the mind’s almighty
truth-detecting eye.
For there is no lying in it.
Love is here.
Abundant and abound.
I am Black.
Brazenly
unapologetic
as a mighty African drum.
I thump
and dare.
Thump and dare.
As I bombard the barrel through
any and all bourgeois and bogus notions
that I exist as anything but
the irrefutable birth and bottom-line
of Greatness!

By virtue of my own natural self-essence
I am woman.
Incomparable.
Phenomenal.
Born Black
and
thrice blessed.
In mind,
in body, and
in the spirit of Black loyalty
and determination… Asé.

I am Afro Latina: An Affirmation of Love
By Troy Parker

I am Afro Latina
Some may call me mixed
Others may call me what they please

But,
From God’s lips to my ear, it is
The rich legacy and elegance of my ancestry
That truly defines me and,
Pushes me
To rise above such silly notions as these

I am Afro Latina
50% Black?
50% Puerto Rican?

How about 100% Love? A thousand times real!
And we round the rest off to your thinkin’?!

Know, that I am no one’s half anything

I am wholly Afro Latina
And, please, don’t get it twisted with others
You have heard or seen

I am light years apart from your brand of different
A quite unique and unusual breed

I am Afro Latina
Affirmed and exalted by mom and dad as their beautiful
Young Goddess and life’s dream, I attest

By birth. By choice. And all my inclinations, I am a trifecta
of Greatness!

So, step it up – and pep it up – if you want to come test
In no limit of time, I will make it clear that I am always
A cut above the bland and boring rest

I am Afro Latina
Acclaimed, kinkyhaired, cocoa brown eyed, mocha skinned
beauty, indeed

Now, why don’t you just settle in, while I continue to bring you
up to speed

I am Afro Latina
For the 4th, 5th and 6th time, if you please
My worth and purpose being the equivalent of the earth’s mightiest
ocean. And, while we’re at it, why don’t we throw in all the treasure
of the seven seas
For I am the reason little girls like myself dare to dream and
believe!

I am gleefully and unquestioningly Afro Latina
Understand that my vibration and emotional frequency may,
Of times, cause me to appear slightly withdrawn, or maybe, even shy

But know,
That if I could put all of me int a bottle I would still name it “I am not to
to be denied!”

I am Afro Latina
And clearly we come equipped
Imbued with a sharp, agile, readimindedness all our own

So might I advise that for the remainder of this trip, you keep all hands
And assorted parts tucked, as we hit impossibly swift, speed of light
Type speeds and awe-inspiring zones

Who am I?

Afro Latina
Pleased ta meet’cha

Now be a dear and stand aside, before my shadow overcasts ya

Feeling so armed and ready, I should call myself “The bomb!”
As in, awesomely yours, then, ka-boom!!!

I accentuate it with a resounding slap of my smoothly melanated
Palms!

You would think it were soundclash as it knocked through the block!
Letting it be known that B.O.M.B. only means Building Outside
My Box
So as I near the close of this swift verbal traverse
Why don’t I evince a bit on what makes it all work?

By God, I have been ordained and by His truth I’ve learned
My lane. What mom and dad hath given me is equally grand – as
Without a mind and heart, I would never have known the
Joy of finding his hand

Thank you, Mami! All praises due to you, daddy!
For making me in your beautiful image and being the first to
Teach me love – Beginning with what lies hidden inside me
For always remind me that I am the very best part! Also,
That while others may say I am the future, it is important for
Me to live and love in the here and now!

Never taking what I have in this moment for granted – or allow myself to
Be taken for granted. To know and respect my worth because I am all that
And a bag of chips

I am Afro Latina
I was born beautiful!
Because I was made from love. Untitled
Unconditional. And
Free of reserve.
Hear me.

For Empress, Yesenia
God Bless You