Hey, y’all.

The prompt for Day 15 of National Poetry Writing Month is to think of a person – real or imagined – who has been held out to you as an example of how to be of live, but who you have always had doubts about. Write a poem that exaggerates the supposedly admirable qualities of the person in a way that exposes your doubts.

I kinda did the prompt. Here’s my poem:

REVERSE ALCHEMY

By Farah Lawal Harris, © 2023

You forgot Cardinal Rule 53, Part B:

“Never make a joke about

another Black person

in mixed company.

Best believe—mixed company

will wait for the perfect opportunity

to repeat said joke

and credit you publicly.

You will transform from gold

into token;

in other words, reverse alchemy.

This spell is not often broken.”

Never forget Cardinal Rule 53, Part B.

Onto Cardinal Rule 53, Part C…