• eSwatini issue,  Poetry

    The Unbearable Blackness of Being

    Nietzsche saysit has alreadyhappenedthat it willhappen againad infinitumin factthis heavinesshe says isunbearably unavoidable but the sophistknows i ammade of stardustthere willonly, ever beone of memy life isnot cheap i am beautiful and i am black i know whyi frighten youwhen i steponto the elevatorso from timeto time imust remind myselfthat my blacknessis too brightto gazedirectly into ask the greeksabout the unbearableblacknessof my beingthey thoughti was a godas plato andherodotus walkedamong us, theythought myskin was otherworldymy head, wondrouslywoolly or smoothas the faceof the sunmust have beencrowned in celestial glorythat as my handstretchedto the sky, itheld the whatand the whyas i circumscribedthe heavens inthe palm ofmy hand, thatmy fingerpointed to wherewe came…