They Call Me Peaches

I am the skittles that fell from his hand, and rolled indefinitely

I am the spilt Arizona that moved uninterrupted through the cracks like the waters of Katrina

I am the book that captured our imagination before the bullet erupted

I am the sweetness of that swisher, allowed to gather and float to become the comforting scent in the air

I am the passion and truth in her words, which eventually led to the fear that caused her death

I am the Edmund that stood steadfast, as groups gathered and marched

I am the rage Baldwin speaks of, Audre writes about, and Nina sings to the seats in the back

I am the knee that they kneel on

I am the seat that Rosa set on

I am the bloody cotton that can’t be sold

I am the dark alley that held their lifeless body, but lively spirit

I am the poplar tree that held them tightly in their last breath

I am the pumping heart, trembling hand, twitching eye, and shaky voice when she said “no”

I am the chalice Christ passed around at the Last Supper

I am the sound of the Black keys in those negro spirituals

I am the blue haze and the drinking gourth

I am the midnight tide of the River Jordan

I am the spell Nina put on you

I am the slap Poitier put on that white woman

I am the weep accompanying the wailing

I am the vibrato in Martin’s voice

I am the hatchet Nat used in Virginia

I am the Hudson that allowed Marsha to finally rest

I am the fatigue and Illness Hamer wouldn’t succumb to

I am tender. I am fierce. I am bold. I am inexplicable. I am uncapturable. I am present. And I will live on.

This is the work of Cody Charles; claiming my work does not make me selfish or ego-driven, instead radical and in solidarity with the folk who came before me and have been betrayed by history books and storytellers. Historically, their words have been stolen and reworked without consent. This is the work of Cody Charles. Please discuss, share, and cite properly.

BIO:

Cody Charles went deep undercover to study Hotepology at the University of Distinguished Hoteps, where he successfully slayed numerous colonies of Hoteps on nippy Saturday evenings- accompanied by the occasional libation and a Popeyes two piece and a biscuit combo. He is the author of The Radical Friendship Contract: 10 Expectations for Loving People Fully, 10 Common Things Well-Intentioned Allies Do That Are Actually Counterproductive, Ten Counterproductive Behaviors of Social Justice Educators, I Will Burn My Name Onto It, and Simple but not Easy: 25 Steps to Justice. Join him for more conversation on Twitter (@_codykeith_) and Facebook (Follow Cody Charles). Please visit www.consultcody.com to learn more about Cody.