He Tried to Drown the Ocean, I Waved, Kai Naima Williams
I am brown-black. A greenhouse. A dash of rhythm and blues.
A yellow pearl, who’ll punch some yellow peril in your sternum.
Have you calling for your mama forehead deep within my scarlet
fever, heavy, hip-hollering heat. Beware. I’ll technicolor your
opinions, change the perspective of your canvas, whisk you
dizzily out of Kansas, you’ll be wiping sun out your eyes in my
brownblack woman presence. But go on, place that white girl on
your pedestal. I bet she easier to look at.
-- anthem, from He Tried to Drown the Ocean, I Waved
About Kai Naima Williams
Kai Naima Williams is a poet, spoken word performer and fiction writer based in New York City. Her work has been featured in Mask Magazine, DRØME Magazine, For The Sonorous, The AmerAsia Journal and Literary Manhattan. She has been honored by the National YoungArts Foundation, the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival and the New York Times. She is also a co-found- er and Executive Director of the non-profit arts organization Eat At The Table Theatre Company.
