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MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE
BLACK PEARL

By Josè Angel Figueroa
 
Heart-shaped Africa is the axis of
My ancestral charcoal roots. I am
A black pearl mixed with the dust
Of a violet moon and brown
Sugar babies baptized in fire.
 
My rose-purple lips praise the
Faith of my great-grandmothers
Whose sweet, salty, and pungent
Heartstrings never cracked when
Singing the Black Folks’ blues.
 
My voice is the bitter cry of many
Oceans and crossroads. My tears
Are uprooted trees longing to
Return to sacred firewater.
 
My soul is entombed with the
Allure of lavender pouring
From the gifts of dawn.
 
I have torn down that massive
Veil which made me feel my
Existence was once a problem.
 
I will not bend. Be harnessed.
Kept silent. Be forbidden to
Bear my own fruits or dance
With the constellations.
 
My thunderous heart will turn
White sparks into a hot glare.
My story will be told without
The putrid disgust of hatred.
 
Africa did not make an
Outcast out of me.
 
Why does my Blackness
Still petrify you: Am I
Not the first daughter 
Of the night?
 
​

  • HOME ISSUE #3
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY AND PROSE
  • BLACK MUSIC PHOTO ESSAY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • VISUAL ART GALLERY
  • BIOGRAPHIES
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • Support Merge Literary Magazine
  • ISSUE #2 CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • FEATURED WRITERS AND ARTISTS
  • MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE PRINT EDITION
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • Multimedia Art Review
  • PHOTOGRAPHY CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
  • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • ISSUE #1 POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
    • Mission and Content
    • About US
    • POETRY
    • PROSE
    • ART ILLUSTRATION
    • ESSAYS AND PLAY
    • MULTI-MEDIA QUILT REVIEW
    • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
    • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
    • Support Merge Literary Magazine