Issue 50: Summer 2020

Three Poems

EVERY CONVERSATION IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE

EVERY CONVERSATION IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE

 

SEVERITY INTENSITY STRENGTH MERCY RELAXEDNESS BEAUTY

WHY ARE PEOPLE SO FUCKING STUPID?

(PHOTO OF MY LEFT HAND STIFFLY BLOCKING THE SUN)

(PHOTO OF MARVIN TWISTING UP FROM THE GRASS)

(NEON YELLOW HOODIE HANGING FROM THAT CHAIR WHOSE WOVEN LEATHER SEAT IS DRY AS WOOD)

I WANT TO START A SCHOOL FOR BLACK GIRLS

(PHOTO OF THE CRINKLED SOLE OF ONE FOOT CRADLED INTO THE LEFT FLESH OF AN OUTSTRETCHED THIGH)

(ARCHIVAL PHOTOS OF VARIOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY)

THE SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION

(SILHOUETTE OF A HALF-BARE TREE AT BLUE HOUR)

THE RIGHT WRONG STEP

AS IN THE CORRECT WRONG, OR THE WRONG THAT FACILITATES THE NECESSARY RIGHT

SO, THEN, OF COURSE—NOT IN FACT WRONG AT ALL

MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF DESIRE RIGHT

I HAVE MISTAKEN BEING ADORED FOR BEING CONSUMED

I HAVE MISTAKEN BEING CONSUMED FOR BEING ADORED

AND SO HAVE MY VAMPIRES


 

AND THAT I AM NO WHETSTONE

 

B-B-B-BROKENHEARTEDNESS

MY B-B-B-BENEFACTORS

SOURCES OF REFUGE

I NEED TO SING

I NEED TO PRAY WITH MY SONG

I NEED TO PRAY WITH MY SONG

I NEED TO PRAY WITH MY BODY

I NEED TO PRAY WITH MY BODY

(PHOTO IN WHICH MY OUTSTRETCHED ARM
CULMINATES IN A HAND PRESENTING A CELL PHONE
THE FRONT SCREEN OF WHICH IS MY SMILE AND NOSE)

WHAT IS THE AREA BEFORE READINESS

(VIDEO OF A RAINBOW STRIPED KITE FLYING)

TWO PILLOWS AND A BLANKET

THE RECOVERING

THE RECOVERING

THE RECOVERING

I NEED TO RECOVER WHAT I’VE GIVEN

STATUS SLAVE

NOW I KNOW WHY I’VE RESENTED BEING TOLD I’M GENEROUS

 


THE TURN

 

VENUSIFICATION

COLOUR ORACLE

VERITABLE CRUSH

WHO YOU ARE AS EVIDENCED BY HOW YOU MOVE

HOW YOU ARE AS EVIDENCED BY WHAT IS MOVEABLE OF YOU

SOUL

IF INSTEAD OF ACQUIRING THE OBJECT TO WHICH SHE FEELS ENTITLED, SHE INSTEAD DISSOLVES THE FORCES THAT ARTICULATE THEMSELVES AS ENTITLEMENT

RECENT CHANGES

ROOT INCHES

ALLIGATOR AND OWL

UNGREASED SCALP

STARED AT ON THE SUBWAY

IS THERE SOMETHING I DON’T KNOW BECAUSE I’M… UNINFORMED?

BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF

JOY

PURPOSE

(PHOTO OF OILY DAHL AND YOGURT IN A SHALLOW SPECKLED BOWL)

FLOWERING PLANTS

AN INDOOR GARDEN OF FLOWERING PLANTS

NONDUAL MINDFULNESS

THAT I AM FINITE (NO)

GROWLING

A VERY NICE DANCE CLASS

FROM 35 TO (GASP)

THE THOUGHTS I THINK PRONE

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I HAVE TO LIVE DESPITE

BY THE MIRROR OF YOUR ENVY

ROLE MODEL?

THOUGHT AS (MERELY) MENTAL SENSATION

AIR SIGNS

COLOURS OF IRON AND RUST

A BLAZE IN THE VALLEYS

SHE FELT RICH AND HAPPY

UP AT THE NAKED BRANCHES (WE TREES)

A NEAR-EMPTY PARK AND I

TIRZAH IN THE PARK AND TEXTING

THE WIND ROARED AS DIRECTION

A SHEPHERD ESSENTIALLY

IRMA VEP

MAGGIE CHEUNG

HOT WATER STANDING

CONDITIONAL DRYNESS

ADEQUATE SALT

MORNING MILDLY HORNY

THE MATTER OF PERSONHOOD

SYLVIA WYNTER RETURN

AN APARTMENT NEAR A GROVE

THE INFLUENCE OF AROUSAL

THE NAME FOR THAT WHICH KEEPS YOUR POWER SECRET FROM ITSELF

SHAME

SAFETY

THE FAT OF MY AUNTY’S ARMS

OH HER PERFECT RED SKIN

LOVING MAMA ANNE FOREVER

40-YEAR-OLD BLACK WOMEN

FELLOWSHIP

ON LUCK

OCEAN OF PRIOR CAUSES

SLOWERNESSLY

OPPORTUNITIES TO EAT MAYONNAISE

PERFECT COMMITMENT

WHY I ASKED WHAT AN ARROW’S OPPOSITE IS

IS GROW IMPROVE?

A SOFT GREY COTTON ONE PLUS ONE I CAN BLINK BEHIND

LAVISH ABSENCE’S ARRIVAL

BABY’S FIRST BLENDER

BABY’S FIRST BLENDER’S INAUGURAL SMOOTHIE

“APE’S TITS INCREDIBLE”

STAGHORN FERN

STUDFINDER

SPELLING CEILING

IF THERE WAS A SUN I WOULD MAKE MYSELF BLACK BY IT

THE PRAYER OF DAWN

IN CYCLES AND CIRCLES

VIOLET PRAYER

AISHA SASHA JOHN ACT II

PRODDING 40

AFRO-COLOMBIAN PERSON

I ACCEPT MY LIFE ENTIRELY

 

About the author

Aisha Sasha John is a poet and choreographer. She’s the author of I have to live. (McClelland & Stewart, 2017), finalist for the Griffin Poetry Prize, as well as THOU (Book*hug 2014), finalist for the Trillium Book Award. Her chapbook TO STAND AT THE PRECIPICE ALONE AND REPEAT WHAT IS WHISPERED will be published by Ugly Duckling Presse in 2021. Aisha was Writer-in-Residence at the University of Toronto (Scarborough) in 2018, and served as guest faculty for the 2019 Writing Studio residency program at The Banff Centre. Aisha is also the 2019-2022 Dancemakers Resident Artist; in 2021, she will remount her solo the aisha of is which premiered at the Whitney Museum in 2017.