Last Black American Poem (2024) Danez Smith Voted for the negro twice, twice my captor Wore my face. Admit it, Danez, you loved Your master in your shade. Yes, I loved Knowing the color at the end of my chain Matched mine. ((Wrong river. It wasn’t chains It was water when one of us helmed the boat. Water for our eyes, water raised to the lips Of cargo. Still cargo. In summer We turned down that Jeezy, learning a new one’s Slain name. The helm and still. The boat, still Headed to Carolina shores.)) My president was Black When mothers got millions in exchange for sons. Michelle’s perm was perfect as bombs dropped In the middle of childhoods. We buried my grandpa with an Obama button Pinned to his lapel. Finally free, we sent him to heaven American. When he won, we sprinted Bascom Hill & danced like happy slaves at Lincoln’s feet. We were happy ass slaves, happy to vote Happy to be able to protest the killing We couldn’t end, happy for healthcare That killed us slower, happy the gays could marry In the country where trans women vanished Like snow in warm winters Happy our wars were only of the mind Only elsewhere. Forgive me, I wrote odes to presidents. --

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