Black Folk Don’t Have Birthdays

My word for this yearlong celebration of my 60th birthday is JUBILEE

Watch the poet Steven Willis read this piece here

BLACK FOLK DON’T HAVE BIRTHDAYS

We have birthday weekends, birthday weeks, birthday months,

A milestone year like 30 or 50 can result in a yearlong jubilee

of saying yes to all pleasures.

As the descendants of the once enslaved,

who had no record of when they were born and no means by which to celebrate,

we are blessed with the inheritance of extra days.

They whisper,

celebrate child. Take all the time

you need