There is a Black man in the pool
The pool past the zen garden just beside the Eucalyptus tree
His skin shines against the water
Beads of water splash against his forehead
Dripping down caught by a thick wrinkle
If he came all this way the water must be cool
The Black man in the pool stretches his legs out fully
We watch him from up here and we see him settled in
His lips look pursed and his eyes are closed
If you remove the Black man the pool will remain the same
That is the safety of water contained
Whims and wilds are tamed without losing a sense of freedom
This is the good thing about the water
Recognizable and fresh and cool
Drain the water and fill it with milk instead
He may not come to sit and stretch his legs
The milk might be mistaken for sugar or paint
Pus mixed in and blood mixed in
Milk meant for a baby and carried across a field
Making its way to the pool
Pour it all, go ahead
See if the Black man settles in
Will his lips pucker as he closes his eyes?
Comfort cut by the ghost of separation
From up here we see it all and we smile
From up here it is easier to consider him
The blood is mixed in
Char Lee Lorraine is a writer, performer, and violence counselor. Her writing and performance work has been produced at The Annoyance and The Second City’s DeMaat Theatre. With a passion for the arts and social work, she bridges the gap in individual counseling by applying trauma informed based practices with artistic healing methods. As an advocate/artist, her goal is to support survivors in regaining authority of their voices through writing.