Dating a Black Woman in America in the Pre-Obama Years

by Courtney Brown

Dating a Black Woman.
Transparent exoticism.
Blackness, silky jet blackness . . .
on white.
"A creative combination!"

Yet others see . . . oil and milk.
Transparent rebuke.
On so many faces,
transparent rebuke.

Circle the wagons!
Defense! Defense! Rah, Rah, Rah!
. . . no effect.
Still . . . transparent rebuke.

"To Hell with them!
Shove it!
Go to Hell! Hell! Damn you . . ."
. . . no one's listening.
They've stopped looking as well.
Transparent neglect.
"How dare they!"

Reconsidering . . .
That's better.
Indeed. Neglect and acceptance.
The former comes with time,
the latter, dishonesty.