Two Poems by Uzomah Ugwu

My Body Spoke His Name

You spoke my 
name having
My body echo 
your intentions
When your hands  
raised the hairs 

Left on my body 
up not cut from
The most recent shave
Wanted to hide
To be perfect and 
smooth for you

For you to slide with ease 
not feel this morning dew
You championed my love
With tight touches you applied

My desire with your tucks
and grabs and pressing of my skin
You asked for no favors 
nothing in return
Just that I would not 
ask if you were done.

shame name

Made love to him with shame
He told my body things that
Wouldn’t blame him the next day

In his eyes a burst of
passion was a something
He couldn’t put out
He whispered sweet audio
while his fingers
ran down my body

He said he left where
he was from to have
a chance to be here
So we could share a midnight

than have tea at high noon
Cars passed by windows
full of ghosts
That circled around
the lake out back

Where our bodies
hatched and I knew
That it was better that I left
Before starting what
may cause me shame

Uzomah Ugwu is a poet/writer and multi-disciplined artist. Her poetry and writing have been featured in Prelude Magazine, Tuck Magazine, Wild Word, the Angel City Review, Voice of Eve and Scarlet Leaf Review, and more.  She is a political, social, and cultural activist. Her core focus is on human rights, mental health, animal rights, and rights of LGBTQ persons.   

Preview image by K. Haskell, an interdisciplinary visual artist, draftsperson, and illustrator. http://khaskell.com