why i love black women — a poem

because, at Haskell Elementary School
and at McIntosh Elementary School,
on the west side of Rockford, IL
black girl’s smiles were as wide
as blue skies in the Midwest;
their knowledge seemed to come
straight from Africa or Arkadelphia,
Arkansas.

because their brothers or uncles
was as cool as I am, welcomed me
into their homes or on their front porches
to build, to chill, to conversate, to relate,
to relax, or to reimagine a community
where we focused on Black unity.

because Black girls, Black women
have always had visions sometimes
we Black men did not see, connect to,
understand, admire, accept, embrace,
or sometimes reject because we are
not as wise as them, but they kept us
as confidants, colleagues, friends.

because Black women in my neighborhood
could do the whop to the freshest hip-hop
music we listened to on west side blocks
nonstop; ’cause Black women would do the
Cabbage Patch matching we Black men’s
soul, control; ’cause on the bus heading
home from school, Black women would rap
along with us Black men to songs like
Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick’s “La Di Da
Di”; ’cause Black women are some of my
best friends.

because Black women raised me, helped
make me, gave and continue to give
me reason after reason to write, recite,
perform, poetize, rise, record songs, recall,
reshape my character, reform my thoughts, get
lost in nature, nurture me, help navigate
my understanding of the Universe.

for all these reasons, and so much more,
I love me some Black women.

© Christopher D. Sims
August 11th, 2024