BLACKFLORIDA 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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