[Spoken Word Interlude: Reyna Biddy]
An ode to the black woman's body
She's been through a lot
Years and years on end, she chose to keep on
To hold on to love, then to love again
Then to lose to love again
To hug black bodies like it's the last time
Like, last time every time
To bear baby after baby
Praying this time maybe they'll be birthed into safety
Ideally a place where someone can love them
Hoping this time, we can trust each other enough to tell one another our fears
I might start by saying, "I need you"
When you go, I'm afraid to let you
I don't wanna survive alone again
Our bodies have become too familiar
With chance, with each other, with freedom
But never a chance to experience freedom with each other these days
I'm tired of sharing your body between the world and me
So, won't you promise this time, your body will make it home to me
To this love, to this unity
To this journey we're supposed to be on together
Yesterday, tomorrow and forever, today
I'll be waiting for our forever after
Nobody tells you how to survive as a black woman
So let me learn you a lesson
Black women, you are a threat on every point of the map
You are love, in its purest form, all unapologetic, all unconditional
Always too compassionate, sometimes too forgiving
But, never too afraid to show up
Black women, you are everything they knew you wouldn't be
You are gorgeous, even through the suffering
You needn't forget why
You hold the world together
Thank you for your mercy
You are the strongest form of human
Black women