Fun fact: the name Zachary is from Zachariah which means the Lord remembers.
Note: This is my first husband’s real first name and I never took his. He is remarried to another woman, has children with her, and makes no attempt to have a relationship with his children. As you read this work, with this backstory, it will make more sense.
This poem will be part of the 6th Volume of THE TRADITIONAL WOMEN VOLUME 6: TELL YOU NO LIES (June 2024). They don’t make them like that no more that’s what the old man told me when I asked about who that woman that they … Continue reading 30 Days Of Jaye – Day 18: The Legend Of Miss Honey
The Black artist, the artist who happens to be Black, has always been a sort of pariah in our community.
There is no definitive way to describe or define him or her.
In a culture possessed by the binary, driven by labels and the identification of “the other” for the sake of threats or protection— the artist is the outlier! They are the chameleon among the uniformity of the expected.
There is no room for us unless it is made by us — which goes back to Black Capitalism. Yet, in the making — of being outside of the expected, even supported, self there is the outward push to constrict. To deconstruct, to criticize and shame. Blackness and the talent it brings cannot be seen in multiple places, stretched to fill space, because it draws attention. Or the fear is these talents will pull attention from those already in those creative spaces whom will either need more exposure, support, or visibility.
This critical thinking powered by the epigenetics of plantation thinking is evidenced further by saying “Black people dont (fill in the blank)” or “White people do that.” Understanding the power of separation, or being taken away from the collective upon the discovery of unconventional talents is real! It so so real we will look at the talented people who look like us and shame them for not being as constricted as they were or are regarding their talent.
The expectation of White Supremacy is that we as the talented or gifted and Black will be its strong arm! Believing that if there are “too many” of us in a space, the access to power or visibility will be overpowering enough to push everyone else Black out!
These gifts are for use and the edifying of the body known as Blackness! My comfort is not depend on your acceptance of what I create, peruse, or dare to dream up!
Fear turned inward is shame — and shame outwardly expressed is always supple to be weaponized!
Creativity does not exist for the cause or acceptance of the White gaze. It exists because I cannot help but use it— and never needed permission outside of my own self.
With Black people, the descendants of enslaved people, being the only imported object this nation seeks to both claim and erase— the objective of these oppressive systems is seek to both mine and erase all those who by their very existence challenge it.
Blackness and Black people cannot be center focus because then this property, being intellectual, creative, or tangible, can be seen and used as authentic-made outside of the control and guided practices of white supremacy, and outside of white supremacist powered capitalism. When we as Black people are erased (the creators of such property, being intellectual, creative, or tangible) as the origin of such authenticity —we can be erased!
Ergo, our creations are turned into property for consumption, for our authenticity to be transformed into product for a greater world that our blackness will not be able to reach: which results in a dark mirror! In erasing what was there, enabling others to replace it with anything more desirable. By doing so, those who practice the systems of marginalization and erasure—powered by racism (including misogynoir, internalized misogyny, and internalized anti-blackness) believe no one will look past the image presented in front of of them.
Because it looks like them. In this case, them is the greater white world.
This property becomes their creation, art, and turned into their genuine experience. Such properties can be mass produced to consumers of the exotic for profit.
At the cost of marginalization and our erasure. Since no Black people are seen, it cannot belong to Black people.
I Breathe Fire 