Jennifer Maritza McCauley

For Frances M. Beal 

I’ll say this:
before you finish

that slashing cuss.

I am a dynamic question.

Black-skinned and bare-titted

You can quick-lick my scars

and tell me if they

taste as agonizing as

when I first felt

that circle-shaped

bruise on my elbow

that That Teacher

gave me when she

was caffeinated and furious

or what he meant

when he said he didn’t mean

to bite me that hard

and I wondered what

pain means to

the tongue

or to anyone

who might care

how it happened.