
Who Got It Good
Man, he got it good
better dan me
He don’t hatha do so much
like I do
for right now
iss a lil easier for him
We take care of him
More dan me
Don’t cook
Don’t drive
Can’t work
Man shoot, he got it good
Sepfa
At that age
people treat you like
you don’t know nothin’
cuza yo age
can’t thank nothin
cuza yo age
I can tell
He know a lotta thangs
cuza his age
He won't worry
too much longer
wether grown folks listenin
to him or not
He'll be on the next

Give Them Time
Around this time
children take over the streets
ballin ridin walkin runnin
We bow at their need
to fill the day
crackin laughin singin fightin
Cars swerv on silent
Porch protectors sip and see
watch dogs turn friendly
Forheads unfurrow
Around this time
Councils come to meet
prison college testing red lines
They bow at a greed
to feed the bank
pushing planning placing
Pens making policy
in the cool AC
for the children at play
Sunlit on blocks
their feet wil

Hear Different
Come with eyes
Leave your ears
Guess who from where here
Assume the waters they crossed
The times they crossed them
From out that way
down over by that place
Read gestures
that look cousin among brothers
No matter what they say
We know how to do us
from out that way
and this way
it don’t matter
where they come from
what they call themselves
You came in with your eyes
No matter what we say
You won’t hear
No different © Vanya Allen July 14, 2015 Dominican Ba

Any Ways
If they never ever said Black is beautiful
To me
I would still be everythang honey
We ain’t awl sweet cuz iss said
We ain’t awl salty cuz iss not
They coulda said it tho
I already know
Me being who I am
I’m crazy bout me
They crazy bout me
Das crazy right
They got it all wrong
But guess who shinin on em
Any ways © Vanya Allen Martin Luther King Day parade. Brownsville, Miami FL January 18, 2016. Photo by Johanne Rahaman #poetry #photography #art #language

Here and There
Dividing time
in two spaces
A foot here
A memory there
The beginning star-bursts
Hopefully to cheers
A rush of here
Expected
Then fades
in upward dissolve
Sunrise exposing itself coyly
that you may sleep
through the passing
Here to there
It is expected
For you
to say good morning
When you get there
and see, wise ones
Who wake early enough
To behold you
In reds and purples
Blending night with day
Letting thoughts go
up in procession
to the great knowin

Thowed
We played dah game uh whatever
Got thowed fa ah hot minute
Ah good lil minute
I ain't gone lie
Das life
Till it ain't
Till you wanna thow you somebody
It git rill rill quick
Atha you figga dem feet
betta dan dem knees
fa ge'in along
Fukroun an put one down
on a bih
See hih quick
awl da kikiki quit
Ain't no fun when da rabbit got da gun © Vanya Allen Urban Beach Weekend 2015-South Beach, May 23, 2015. Photo by Johanne Rahaman #poetry #photography #art #lang

Mines
Chet dis aht
Ah body like mine
Wa'int mine
Fo ah long time
What I woh
Dey gey me
What I was cawd
Dey cawd me
I got mine back
Got my back
to tell my story
On erethang I luh
Uhma rock it till da bussaht
Cuz hih I feel
Duh ones who ain't get deyaz back
Uh luh dat I can
Luh dat I will
my will
My mine © Vanya Allen Urban Beach Weekend 2015-South Beach, May 23, 2015. Photo by Johanne Rahaman #photography #language #art #poetry

We Run Fass
Inside iss dis love
Uh thangs an people
Mighty ta minuscule
Spry feet undaneef
Dat slow speech
Quick mine 'hine
dat mo'lasis thick
Iss dis love like wahda
from heaven
It jess flow onta
da nex ones
Catchin it up
Like rabbits
We chase
Dreams
Like awl y'all
An we run fass © Vanya Allen Larenski -Pahokee, FL December 12, 2015 . Photo by Johanne Rahaman #poetry #art #language #photography

Das Ti-ti Baby Dea
Yoon know no line at firs
Erebody clean erebody house
Eat erebody food
Wea erebody clothes
Watch erebody chirren
Heeyon know what I'm is
To him
He jess know he good
Cuz erebody got him
Ain't dat right, Ti-ti baby © Vanya Allen Tay Tay - Haines City, FL December 25 2015. Photo by Johanne Rahaman #photography #art #language #poetry

In Threes
Dees ain’t nu’in but cornrows
Same kine we used ta hide okra seeds
Peas pulled back smooth
Naps gone hidin’ uppunda my fangas
Pass present future
Pass present future
Pass present future
Jess keep on like dat
Till it git ta da en
Den start ahgin
Pass present future
On down da line
She thankin bout gettin up
Off dis porch
On wit huh life
I’m thankin
Pass present future
We gone get deah, baby
An you gone luh what you
En up wit
I’mma see to it © Vanya Allen Sh