Better Hot

For all the Black men who still love Black women
No disrespect to anybody else


Had a scoop of chocolate
Treasure once
And I savored every drop
Until somebody
Came along and said
It melted; would you like something else?

A song
A song
melted
life
an etta song

I sing of you in my sleep
Sing of your smile
As it shadows my skin
Belt out your soul
In my grin
And like the ravenous
To the meal
Dig right in

You won’t leave me a goodbye letter now
After I had your babies, cooked your meals
Paid the bill
Alone

You’re not buttering me up
For the scrape
Not decying the virtues of vanilla
But is that your final answer?

Wish you
Were wishing now
The summer swallows
The bayou blues
The emerald green ivy
Of your creeping spirit
As it embraces me
With good natured
Charm

Not afraid to hold my arm
Not alarmed by the born brown
Of my skin

Because I loved you first
Because I loved you most
Because, beloved, like Paul D, you love my past.

At last..

Had a scoop of chocolate
Treasure once
And I savored every drop
Until somebody
Came along and said
Its better hot