a work in progress
Mahogany L. Browne
The name of this poem is:
How to write a poem about ferguson
Or
The name of this poem is:
How a black man dies and no one makes a sound
Or
The name of this poem is:
Everywhere is Ferguson
Or
The name of this poem is:
When the moonrise sounds like gunshots
Or
The name of this poem is:
How to teach your babies to walk and not run, ever.
Or
How to teach your babies to carry a wallet the size of your smile
Or
The name of this poem is:
How not to smile & make yourself a target
Or
The name of this poem is:
How to write a poem the same size of Emmett Till’s lungs
after they pulled him from the Tallahatchie River
Or
How to write a poem about America’s thirst
Or
The name of this poem is:
Black blood’ll keep you thirsty
Or
The name of this poem is:
I’m still thirsty, An American Horror Story
Or
How to write an escape route from a tornado
Or
How to write an escape route when the tornado’s name
is Stop & Frisk
Or
How walk the streets without fearing someone will cut your neck open
Or
How to walk into a boardroom without fearing someone will cut your legacy open
Or
How to walk without asking for it
Or
How to walk without asking for it
How to determine what “asking for it” looks like
Or
How “asking for it” feel like a church bombing
Or
The name of this poem is:
How to not intimidate nobody in 3 small steps
Or
How to use your science books as Teflon
& how that still might not work
Or
The name of this poem is:
How to write about the one time you held a gun
Or
The name of this poem is:
How write about the one time you had a gun pointed to your face
Or
The name of this poem is:
How write about the one time you had a gun pointed to your face
Or
The name of this poem is:
How write about the one time you had a gun pointed to your face
Or
The name of this poem is:
How write about the one time you had a gun pointed to your face
Or
How to write a poem from the perspective of a cop’s gun
< > a cop’s tazer
< > a vigilante’s gun
< > a cop’s boot
Or
The name of this poem is:
How to write poem without r e p e a t i n g yourself
MAHOGANY L. BROWNE is a Cave Canem alumnae, Poets House fellow, playwright, poet, and literary emcee. She is the author of several books including her latest poetry collection “Dear Twitter” and has released five spoken word LPs. Browne facilitates performance poetry and writing workshops throughout the country as well as Europe, Australia & Canada, focusing on women’s empowerment and youth mentoring.
