The Voices Project
Follow us
  • POETRY LIBRARY
  • ABOUT
  • SUBMIT
  • RESOURCES

Wounded~ By Nichelle Johnson

1/7/2014

3 Comments

 
She rocks black girl scabs
like a badge of sorrow and regret
deep, bloodied, layered 

suckles on hurt and disappointment
can only gift you
keloid love and collateral scars

heart welded closed
unfed it suffocates
return blows don’t reach it

She thinks this is safety
this refugee passion
this battle, this war

But this is death
A stunted delusion
vacant vampire life

You, carried the same marks
prefer to leave your lesions
outside for sun-healing

Blood, time, new skin
flesh restored so deeply
no longer nourishment for wounded bloodsuckers 


Author Bio:
Nichelle Johnson is a writer who rediscovered her passion for poetry after taking part in the Tongues of Fire writing workshops at the Audre Lorde Project. She was a part of that workshop for three years. After a blocked period, she began to be a regular participant of the Women Writers in Bloom Poetry Salon (WWBPS). She recently featured at the 2 1/2 year celebration of WWBPS at Bluestockings Bookstore and the Glitter Pomegranate reading series in Brooklyn.

She makes a living consulting as a Database Manger.


3 Comments
Danya
1/9/2014 11:41:56 am

WOW!!! Nichelle I LOVE IT!!! I'm so proud of you!!!

Reply
Nicole
1/9/2014 12:13:51 pm

"Suckles on hurt and disappointment, can only gift you keloid love and collateral scars" WHOA NOW!

Very deep. Too deep.

Reply
Nina Ross
1/22/2014 07:02:27 am

That's my sister, you ain't heard nothing yet, u go Nichelle.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Poet Search

    by last name

    Archives

    January 2023
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012

    RSS Feed

Contact The Voices Project: editors@thevoicesproject.org