Dear Kicking Fetus

Dear Kicking Fetus

For Saidiya Hartman***

Why kick your mother

so hard, so relentless

right in the center

of her tender navel?

Is there something

you know about life,

about the impious ways

of the new humankind

that we do not

already fully understand?

Because, indeed, we already know

how the new order plays,

you need not kick us

in the guts to tell us:

we are as woke

as woke can be.

Listen, it’s the era of the bots,

bring your cellphone along

and google us,

As you must compete these days

with machines and mortals

using binary codes.

The race is now

for the swiftest at

stealing, lying and cheating

with the first forever

remaining the first

and the last doomed for aye.

By the way, listen, son,

and is this important—

We are counting on you

to stop kicking your mother,

as you must know the truth

to set you fully free:

whether it is fair or wrong,

whether you disagree or consent,

abortion is now free on demand

and it is human right.

**I wrote the poem after reading Saidiya Hartman, “Lose Your Mother: A Journey Along the Atlantic Slave Route”

It’s a great read, get your copy.