Thread by @gradydoctor

1/
If I close my eyes, I can see it
My daddy in a faded tank top
Standing in front of a rusted, half barrel grill

Uncles and aunties slapping down dominoes
On rickety folding tables
Wet with condensation from cold drinks

And us with our feet in a circle
To pick who would be it

2/
If I listen hard enough, I can hear it
Gravelly laughs and nicknames
Hard finger snaps to the O’Jays
or Frankie Beverly & Maze

“Hot Peas and Butter! Come and get your supper!”
The explosion of bare feet running
Cornrows with beads on the end clatter

A screen door slams

3/
If I inhale deeply, I can smell it
BBQ from a charcoal grill
a wad of bubble gum

Hot combs on kitchen stoves
and sizzling Blue Magic hair grease
My Auntie’s perfume when I kiss her cheek
And tell her that the “Sock It To Me” cake is good

The funky aftermath
of kids outside

4/
If still myself, I can feel it
grass between my toes
bass from '64 Impala driving by

Hugs from my mama and my daddy
The veiny hands of my grandmama

Palms slapping to Rockin’ Robin
Feet striking inside of rapid fire double dutch ropes

Hands in dishwater
Because it’s my day

5/
So much is said about the pain
Of being Black

Not enough about the joy

There is so much joy, though
So, so much

I can see it
I can hear it
I can smell it
I can feel it

It is so timeless, too

So Black
So universal
So beautiful

So us

6/
Today as I thought of you
I thought of this

Not the mistakes they try to highlight
Or you ashen and lifeless on asphalt
Or the snarl on that man’s face
Or his hands in his pockets

Nope

I think of the Black joy
That I know for sure that you knew, too

Of course you did

7/
And so
In remembrance of you
And #you and #you and #you . . .

I will center myself on the joy of #us

The humanity
The beauty
The resilience
The hope

So that the world can know what we really lost
When we lost another #you

That is all.

#humanismalways #georgefloyd #blm