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sacrament
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"They lived among us as neighbors."
--woman interviewed about the September 11 conspirators
is it jihad? is it crusade? ashes to ashes
dust to dust at the back of my throat
proteins atoms asbestos her snake tattoo his scar and dna
in the valley of the shadow of death
in the canyon of heroes and there we wept
when we remembered it was nagasaki
is it nagasaki? is it inquisition?
i wonder where memories lodge in ashes
to ashes flame to wax wax to grime rain-faded flyers
smell of crematoriums the dead always with us
living among us as neighbors is this rwanda?
wine to blood bread to body
my exhalations stink with her snake tattoo
his scar and dna taken upon my tongue
extreme sacrament of sacrifice and communion
blessed be the fathers who have sinned
living among us as neighbors
demanding allegiance cultivating silence
because fathers know best because women are unclean
and children unpredictable
is it jihad? is it crusade?
were you there when they crucified my lai?
allende? amadou? were you here
taking pride in skin color flag faith
in oklahoma before oh my god it was
one of our neighbors living among us?
each night with myrrh cypress
and cool eucalyptus i wash my dread
locks of the stench of official sanctimony
stink of burning plastics and our neighbors
who loved and lived among us
i try to wash that man right out of my hair
i try to wash that man right out of my hair
i try to wash that man right out of my hair
and send him on his way
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Writer
Bio
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Eva Yaa Asantewaa’s poetry has appeared in numerous publications and anthologies, including The Zenith of Desire: Contemporary Lesbian Poems about Sex, Does Your Mama Know? An Anthology of Black Lesbian Coming Out Stories, Queer Dog: Homo Pup Poetry, Isis Rising: The Goddess in the New Aeon, Brooklyn Review, Kuumba, Starfish, WV, Tempus, and The Isis Papers. She has also worked as a dance journalist for such publications as Dance Magazine, Soho News, and The Village Voice. She has collaborated with dancer-choreographer Nadine Helstroffer, performed her poetry and trance meditations with drummers Bernadette McGowen and Panama, and read her work at numerous venues, including the Brooklyn Museum, the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, and A Different Light Bookstore.
magickal1@mindspring.com
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Other
Pedestal Published Works
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