Jakima Davis

Memphis Blues

Revolution, revolution
Take the key and rev it up
Charged up like batteries
Feel the war pain
Homicide's in the air
Tired of weaves and hair straighteners
Be prepared for some
Cornrows and afros
Slick on the curves
More vegetables than a garden
Swim at midnight
Time's up curtain call
Saturday, Saturday
Boogie to the beat
There's plenty of poetry
To pass around

Wooden Grain

I'll teach the people
How to rock the mic
Just like a funeral
Without the death
Tulips in my mouth
Swing around the coil
Wrapped around my fingers

I search for answers
Fixed what's broken
Good old soul food
Good for the soul
I deliver like the mailman
Read a book
Develop the vocab

Jam for the lost weed
I make ripples like a pebble
Go to my Cadillac
To drive to hell in style
Mixtape with a banjo
Plug in my potholes
Inform me the police's coming

I love soul food
I'm not a vegetarian but I hate meat
Throw around the dough
I'm fresh like salt in the sea
Fasten my seatbelt
Cause I'm in for a ride
Tipping on the wheels

 

Jakima Davis was born in Charleston, South Carolina and raised in Mount Vernon, New York.  She’s been writing since she was 16 years old and has been published in underground publications.  Davis has published three chapbooks; one in 2016 and two in early 2021.  She is expecting her first full volume of poems to be published soon.   Still working on that haiku manuscript.