Poems — Not Your Mammy

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the concept of a “good year” versus a “bad year.” It feels impossible to boil down 365 days that way, but I do notice certain patterns have characterized each year of my life thus far. The pattern

Olivia Lapeyrolerie 11/13/21 Olivia Lapeyrolerie 11/13/21

The pattern of the past year for me has been stillness. I’ve repeatedly and not always consciously given myself the gift of stillness.

Olivia Lapeyrolerie 11/4/21 Olivia Lapeyrolerie 11/4/21

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there were no rainbows or roses

delta sigma lambda nu I’M just tryna get my back blown out HOW ABOUT YOU?!

Olivia Lapeyrolerie 8/14/21 Olivia Lapeyrolerie 8/14/21

~not suitable for family, coworkers & any other square mofo on my page right now~

Olivia Lapeyrolerie 8/5/21 Olivia Lapeyrolerie 8/5/21

my body is a divine instrument

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did I dream it away?

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cut open my roux colored skin

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little planes
flying over my brains

have you ever turned off the radio in your head to check if it matches your frequency or is just a toxic mashup of other ppl's expectations? i didnt have a choice my appointment was divine. the world roared to a halt and forced me to co

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Something within me is
Fighting so desperately be free

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LoVe Me oR LeAvE me alooone.

Dear White People, For so many Black Americans, the key to our survival is watching you. And this doesn’t stem from a desire to be you, but rather to learn how to make you comfortable so you will in turn let us live, hopefully. Every B

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I’m tired, the country is on fire, and I can’t hold my tongue any longer.

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I will not weep
for terrorists
or cowards
or this cancerous country

Olivia Lapeyrolerie 12/22/20 Olivia Lapeyrolerie 12/22/20

If you’ve been on the internet recently, you’ll have noticed that 2020 bashing has become a sport. These criticisms are well deserved, to be fair. The past 11 months have wrought a level of death, despair, cruelty and isolation that is difficult to grapple with. For me, this pervasive darkness prompted a really beautiful and difficult journey of reflection that led to the complete unraveling of the stories I told myself about who I was and what kind of country I lived in.