Tantra Zawadi | Thirteen Yellow Haiku

Yellow Haiku

1.
Honeys, you look good
Brown and full in the middle
Sunflower faces

2.
Yellow taffeta
Dancing ’round and ’round
Twirling in its breadth

3.
Golden light through slat
Welcomes a new day!  I pray
For peace in this one . . .

4.
Buzzing ’round my bed
Because he thinks I’m honey — 
I’m just a stinger

5.
A promise of love
Naturally magical
Canary haiku

6.
When you look at me
The sun sings a vibrant tune
So hot, yet so cool

7.
Fresh corn on the cob
You, me, and hot barbecue
Lying on the grass

8.
Lemony sunrise
Streaming through my window pane
First hint of morning

9.
Gold on my finger
Spinning together with you
I do and I am

10.
Buttery patter
A song for my beating heart
I love you right there

11.
Turmeric and spice
Swirling in my deepest pot
I need this season

12.
Grits, cooked down gently
Salted, buttered, and well loved
Mom in the morning

13.
Graduation day
We were beautiful chaos
Giggling in straw hats

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Tantra-zawadi, Brooklyn-born performance poet and international recording artist, is a 2020 Brooklyn Arts Fund grantee!
She is the author of three books of poetry, alifepoeminprogress (Chuma Spirit Books), Gathered at Her Sky, and Bubbles: One Conscious Breath (Poets Wear Prada). A passionate educator and instigator, she has collaborated with The Senegal-America Project, Betti Makoni’s Girl Child Network Worldwide, and Black Art in America. To learn more, or to hear her latest house music releases, please visit: https://www.traxsource.com/artist/29323/tantra-zawadi or http://tantrazawadi.com/.

Tantra Zawadi | Green Is My Favorite Color

Central Park

A blanket of green
Surrounded by black asphalt
Embracing the light

Everybody’s Money

From hand to purse
Dollar bills move in the night
Green no matter what

Queen

Her aura lengthens
Green stems bend and swerve to see
A Queen in their midst

Leaves

I don’t want to move
Lord knows I don’t want to stay
Collard greens and you

Grand Exit

He left at sunrise
Rocking his worn out green cap
His loyalty rides

The Path

Heavy and layered
The weight of your past presents
Miles of greens to cross

Sunday Best

My favorite coat
Homemade lime green swing knee length
From my mother’s hands

Stirring

So I made them soup
Filled with green split peas and beans
Stirred with mother’s love

Silent Green

Looking from the sky
Stretches of green stun my eyes
And nobody knows

Grandson’s Hands

He reached for a twig
Used it to cut grandma’s greens
Strong like her cooking

My Garden

My sweet green garden
Perfumes the air with color
They speak in real life

Reveal

Back when I was young
I made some green promises
Most I truly meant

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Tantra-zawadi, Brooklyn born, international performance poet, is the author of three books of poetry, alifepoeminprogress (Chuma Spirit Books), Gathered at Her Sky and Bubbles: One Conscious Breath (Poets Wear Prada). She is a passionate educator, recording artist, and instigator with The Senegal-America Project, and a 2020 Brooklyn Arts Fund grantee! To learn more, or to hear her latest house music releases, please visit https://www.traxsource.com/artist/29323/tantra-zawadi or http://tantrazawadi.com/.