“Anger is also Grief,” – Nelle Jones
By Nelle Jones •
angry black girls
clenching desks with tight fists
holding their breath
a breeze passing through their hair
the pale hand of yet another ghost
angry black girls
the blacker the berry,
sweet blood from biting lips
holding one’s tongue
angry black girls
sitting on stoops braiding hair
summer was made for us and yet,
Double Dutch beats the concrete
beats like angry black mamas
scared black mamas
angry black girls
with all the patience in the world
tight lips hold back a torrent of would be words
how dare you
fuck you
anger is also grief
Nelle Jones is a Black poet, mother, and rootworker from the central coast of California.