Kenji Lockett

1

I got some stuff to get off my chest-
Whatever happened to the politics of the pride parade?
It disturbs me to see
lesbians
gays
bi
and transsexual people
dancing around half-naked on floats.
Altoids
Budweiser
and Wells Fargo.
Since when did they give a damn about the queer struggle?
Where was the support of these corporations when
Matthew Sheppard was slain
or when Gwen Araujo was slain?
I think it’s safe to say that this is exploitation at it’s finest.
Homosexuality is only accepted when it's selling a product
and reduced to a trend
and not viewed as human.

2

I got some stuff to get off my chest-
To all you women
curious
or “femme”
who hit on me because it’s now beautiful
to be Black
with short hair
and thick.
I am not your
butch
stud
or your dyke!
I will not carry your shopping bags
or
spend money on you.
You must mistake this for a female/male relationship
with outdated gender role expectations.
And to all you other women
Yes, I am a woman!
So don’t stare at me when I walk into the ladies room.
I may look like a man
but I do piss sitting down!

3

I got some stuff to get off my chest-
And to all my beautiful Black sistahs
tall
dark
short
thick
skinny and light.
I love you despite what some might think of you
shaved head
bald head
afro.
I just wanted to give yall a shout out because after all
a beautiful dark
and thick sistah gave birth to me
accepted me
regardless of my sexuality.
And now I’m blessed with the gift to put
pen to paper
and rhythm to written words
and I am alive.



A budding poet and intellectual, Kenji Nikkole Lockett has defied the myths and statistical representation of Blacks in the United States. Born and raised in the East Bay in the housing projects, Kenji's work conveys the challenges of living in society and on the streets of Oakland. On the verge of suicide, she turned her love of writing into a tool to heal herself and to beat her depression. To Kenji there is nothing more important and powerful than self-expression through the arts. She hopes to one day to be a leader and a model in the Black lesbian community and society at large.