Farah Lawal Harris 4/9/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/9/25

ZZZZZZ ZZZZZZ BUZZING (Poem)

Zzzzzz zzzzzz buzzing,

the 1 am “Hey big head” texts from tempting ex-boyfriends threatening abstinence.

“It takes consistency to be with me,” they say,

then pray the Rose of Sharon won’t mind

Farah Lawal Harris 4/8/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/8/25

SAFETY GHAZAL

My heroes are negroes older and blacker than me.

Fermented melanin plus God is medicine. We still safe.

Farah Lawal Harris 4/7/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/7/25

WHY I AM NOT A HIP-HOP SONG (Poem)

And frankly, I’m tired

of being “hard as hell” like LL,

would hate to get shot like 2Pac,

and I’m way too private

to yap about my WAP.

Farah Lawal Harris 4/6/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/6/25

WATERMELON DAY (Poem)

The textured, soft blood-colored juice is a reprieve from the mocking we’ve received. We throw away stereotypes like rinds. Leave that mess for the flies.

Farah Lawal Harris 4/5/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/5/25

A HYMN FOR ROSES (Poem)

Me, as beautiful as I am,

ain’t nothing but trouble.

I pour out libations through tears,

call on Ancestors to prune fears,

chase illness away with my prayers

Farah Lawal Harris 4/4/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/4/25

LIVING WITH 3 RASTA MEN (Poem)

“Dreadlock no live in a tenement yard,”

and they no longer stay on the same redlined street

where an old Karen drove past me, mouth agape,

asking sharply:

“You’re moving?”

Farah Lawal Harris 4/3/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/3/25

I AM A POET BECAUSE

It’s lonely as hell here.

Words don’t just

up and abandon you

the way people do.

Farah Lawal Harris 4/2/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/2/25

DEAR CORY (Poem)

Sir,

I admit that I joked more than twice

that you only have two facial expressions:

surprised and resigned.

Farah Lawal Harris 4/1/25 Farah Lawal Harris 4/1/25

WE ALL SING DOWN HERE (Poem)

We all sing down here—

sing the praises of the rich

and memories of being poor.

This drame lyrique has no beat

Farah Lawal Harris 3/30/25 Farah Lawal Harris 3/30/25

What Flower Represents You?

What y'all thought was dead, Spirit brought as protection. Each challenge I overcome becomes my legacy. For future generations, my beautiful family, they are everything. When I see beauty, it's merely my reflection shining back at me.

This spring, my driveway will be purple. Aligned with my energy. My gardening is offering.

Farah Lawal Harris 12/16/24 Farah Lawal Harris 12/16/24

What Are You Trying to Prove?

"Every time I get sick, it feels like God is telling me to slow down and reevaluate my intentions. Recently, I’ve been asking myself: What am I trying to prove? Am I falling into the same patterns of overdoing it, trying to 'do it big' instead of focusing on the simple, meaningful parts of my work? If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in the cycle of striving, ask yourself this: Who does this action serve?"

Farah Lawal Harris 11/22/24 Farah Lawal Harris 11/22/24

OUR SELF-LOVE IS REVOLUTIONARY!

In a world that often challenges our worth, self-love becomes a radical act of defiance. My poem, "Our Self-Love is Revolutionary!", celebrates the quiet strength and resilience of melanated beings. Through each smile and every embrace of self, we reclaim our power and write our own narrative.

Farah Lawal Harris 11/19/24 Farah Lawal Harris 11/19/24

EMERALD, RUBY & GOLD (Poem)

In my mid-life years,

I savor their stories from the past —

hit ‘Record’ when I can

or type notes furiously.

This is how I keep my parents alive

for eternity.

I venerate my parents

while they are still here on earth

to add ease to my ancestral practice

for future me.

Future generations will know their names,

and through their children,

their legacy.

Farah Lawal Harris 11/16/24 Farah Lawal Harris 11/16/24

From Busy to Well: How Cancer Taught Me to Truly Live

Cancer forced my life into stillness. In that quiet, I noticed the silence of artistic colleagues who knew I was sick but never reached out. I felt the emptiness of achievements that once seemed so important when my health was on the line. Slowly, I shifted my focus inward, learning to embrace the profound value of family and spirituality over the external validation I once chased.