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the “strong Black woman”
Face full of makeup and hair done To fit the femininity you’ve pressed upon White women, to hold them subservient to men. You wouldn’t even let Black women in. Is the kinkiness of my hair too short? Is my nose too big to snort? Do my hips and breasts carry The temptation of men to fuck but never marry? Is the… Continue reading
american studies, black femininity, black feminism, black in america, black literary feminism, black lives matter, black woman, black womanhood, black women, black women's mental health, black women's strength, creative writing, feminist theory, my story, poetry, protect black women, sociology, strong black woman, the strong black woman, the strong black woman schema, writing -
the case against higher education (the way you do it)
Spent my whole life trying not to think about race, but I can’t escape it. In claims of colorblindness, race is so pervasive. I hate it. My temperament is always on the cusp. Raise conscious, but you just want a tough rebuff. Put a pencil in my hand and tell me to take it. I write with your words, in your… Continue reading
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They don’t grow up too fast–they don’t grow up at all.
Laughter penetrated the mornings with too-blue skies.Skin got tan. Cucumbers were peeled from eyes.Dirt got under fingernails which were later clipped–Clothes peeled off as you skinny-dipped. “Childish ambition.” Church ladies bowed their heads.They pretended to pray while judging you instead.Y’all came into church late and laughed in the pew.The pastor laughed heartily and took a… Continue reading
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Sour Grapes
Salted watermelon danced across desperate tongues,Above mud-caked Chucks and panting lungs.Plastic chairs painted patterns across the backs of too-thick thighs.Lingering sensation of limbs too close,As toes curled in the sand, eyes observing the coast. Fingers fit around bottlenecks, naturally so,And beer caps littered the beach, unwilling to go.Lips tasted like salt water–A tear? A… Continue reading
anxiety, black, Black feminist, Black feminist literary theory, Black feminist literature, black lives matter, Black love, Black queer, Black queer love, black women, closeted, creative writing, first love, guilt, heart break, heartbreak, lesbian, lgbt, lgbtq, literature, love in the closet, poetry, queer, queer love, shame, writing, young adult -
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 3 Embraces Black Girl Love
Originally published in The Amherst Student on September 7th, 2022. “What could make the tide turn? What could make the fire burn? A second chance is all.” Besides being the most embarrassing song on my Spotify Wrapped, “Second Chance” was a highlight of the “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” season 2 finale last July.… Continue reading
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What’s the Point of Uncle Vanya?: How the Value of Uncle Vanya is its Commentary on Value
Mikayah Parsons Professor Sanborn The Value of Literature 07 November 2022 In my playwriting class a few weeks ago, my professor commented on one of my classmates’ work, stating that it, “Felt very Chekhovian. It seems, on the surface, like there’s nothing happening at all. However, when you take it beat by beat and zoom… Continue reading
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Making Sense of the Holocaust and Nuclear Power in World War II
Mikayah Parsons Professor Couvares HIST-301: Writing the Past 19 May 2023 Introduction For the last part of the semester, we have attempted to make sense of two World War II-related events: the Holocaust and the deployment of atomic bombs. In trying to understand these events, we – and the historians before us – have asked… Continue reading
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Slavery in Brazil
Mikayah Parsons Professor Lohse Black History of Brazil May 19, 2023 During the semester, we studied the nuances of slavery in Brazil. While we looked extensively at the particular conditions of slavery, we also learned about the lasting impact of slavery on Brazilian history and society. Many of the current attitudes, beliefs, and conditions for… Continue reading
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Washington’s Work, Du Bois’s Discourse, and a Reimagining of the U.S. University
Mikayah Parsons Professor Loggins Critical Debates in Black Studies 7 April 2023 When I was growing up, I hardly learned any African American history. I went to several predominantly white schools in the rural south, and my first time hearing about W.E.B. Du Bois was when I noticed the spine of The Souls of Black… Continue reading
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The Door of No Return: How Embracing the Irrecoverable is Not Incompatible with Identity Formation
Mikayah Parsons Professor Bailey Caribbean Literature in the Age of Globalization 18 May 2023 Over the course of the semester, we have asked ourselves a series of questions about the Caribbean and Caribbean identity. The questions I have found myself most concerned with include the following: does the Caribbean have an identity not inherently linked… Continue reading
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Broken Black Heart
Broken Black heart.Tattered Black heart.Broken Black fish.Battered Black fish.Black fish out of water. I offered my Black heart on a silver platter,And they took it for the slaughter. My Black heart was not used to beating outside of its Black chest.I closed my eyes and requested a rest.White bottoms of white dresses flitted around me.Hands… Continue reading
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Writing my body
What’s the big deal? The big deal is the fetus she carries in her body.How could she kill?Something that is not yet living. MoreWorried about theMorality of the woman with childThan the life of hate you’d subject that child to. Where were your cries of judgment,Your God-like takes on morality,When the same child whose life you… Continue reading
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Lonely
There was a time before youWhen I was alone. I could go days without Touching my phone. There was a time when the tears fell On their own. There was a time when I thoughtThe emptiness was gone. There are too many mountains to climbAnd we don’t have enough timeThere are too many stones left unturnedHow much more time… Continue reading
About Me
Hi, I’m Mikayah Parsons (she/her/hers). When my nose isn’t buried in books, you’ll often find me writing poetry that documents how my various identities intersect on a larger national and global scale. In addition, I’m a student at Amherst College occupying roles in Dining Services, the Wellness Team, the Diversity Outreach Intern Team, and the History Department as a Student Office Assistant. I have a podcast called “Feeling FLI” that aims to bridge the gap between low-income students and elite colleges. Please feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, or suggestions! :)
Recent Posts
- High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 3 Embraces Black Girl Love
- What’s the Point of Uncle Vanya?: How the Value of Uncle Vanya is its Commentary on Value
- Making Sense of the Holocaust and Nuclear Power in World War II
- Slavery in Brazil
- Washington’s Work, Du Bois’s Discourse, and a Reimagining of the U.S. University
World of Words 