“In Case You Forgot, I Am Not Your Negro” (for James Baldwin)

Anastacia-Reneé, a two-time Pushcart nominee, penned this achingly timeless prose.

Nov 17, 2020

American author James Baldwin.

CARL MYDANS/LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION

america
i am not
interested
in being
your little fish
your pond
your net
your wade
in the water
i am not
interested
in your bait
or the way
you casually
breach my
gutted future
upon my
mothers
dismembered
land

Anastacia-Reneé Anastacia-Reneé served as the Seattle Civic Poet from 2017 to 2019 and was the recipient of the 2018 James W Ray Distinguished Artist Award for Washington artists.