Leaves

We were searching for pearl-white shells on the shores of after- sleep and we got into leaves,like leaves to tree, or not at all. We cannot take a formal no from the tree.

We searched for white shells but got brown men in their acts of oppression. Brown men oppress brown women, who want to wear wings. Brown women prefer white women who oppress less. White women too wish to wear their wings against white men. All women , brown,white or black, wish to wear wings against men of all hues.

Brown women must wear poems not as fig leaves against brown men’s shame but from the inside howls of their poetry. Poetry comes as leaves to tree or not at all . From their men’s shame come their wings of leaves they may wear on their ascent to the sun. When the leaves may turn yellow with time , they can be used to light small winter fires by the sidewalk .