Requiem for The Weedman

Requiem for The Weedman

Dasha Kelly Hamilton

Tony never talks to me about terps

Katie didn’t mention percentages or strains

Mike doesn’t brandish a logo, but his product

and customer service -- always fire

Julian can’t name the co-op of growers, but

the strand is described with war tools

Meeting Moose is most natural in parking lots

Ant delivers to the house

Max is still making moves after bar time

Serena can’t come through til after work

Sam’s stash is personally vetted

Percy doesn’t partake at all

Ericka responds to texts, never calls

Ed rewards loyalty with free samples and extra shake

Jake is not opposed to credit

Denver needs her money every time

Cast our votes

Decriminalize our connects

Yelp our transactions

Ease them to the margins of utility, of enterprise

beside the bank tellers, book sellers,

taxi cab drivers and market cashiers

Alisha doesn’t have a store front, hoodies or permit from the state

Cricket only jokes about launching an app or website

Will upgraded from baggies to plastic pouches, the kind

from the hardware store for bolts and screws

Neither Jasmine nor John open their doors on travel weekends

for visitors to gawk, giggle and shop in

broad daylight

Comments

Receipts

"I mean, who doesn't want their six-year-old daughter to hang out with princesses, and shit...?" A few of us nodded solemnly. Some threw up their hands, clicked their teeth in disgust. Many were quiet with sloped shoulders. Seated at long tables arranged into an open rectangle, we all pointed our bodies and attention towards him in agreement. I doubt the men would use the language "holding space for him," but that's what we did. We meet twice weekly to loosen their knots of habits, deeds, lessons and norms, particularly as partners and parents. Over the course of six months, we unpack trauma, toxic masculinity, self-actualization, expectations and accountability vs. responsibility. They weigh the stakes of their relationships, wellness, and even their freedom. The men also have space --often, for the first time-- to admit their hurts, their misguided intentions, their inherited perspectives and debunk curious myths. This week, our check-in, a warm-up ...

Dear Deborah Brown Community School ~ It is quite a feat for a small charter to make national news. It is perversely disappointing, however, to read that a charter school led by two black women is systematically persecuting students of color for celebrating the natural textures of their hair. As an educator, I understand and value the impact of comportment. Indeed, many ills of the contemporary school environment can be aggravated by lax guidelines on conduct and appearance. Nonetheless, your policies against natural hairstyles levels a much more serious attack against your students. Rather than teaching them how to be “presentable,” your policy forces the concept of “acceptable” at a disastrously early age. Yes, the school should vigorously mandate “neat,” “modest” and “respectable.” These are essential expectations. Denying the option of neatly, modestly and respectfully showcasing the heritage of their hair, however, reinforces a wickedly...

Feed Them

If we examine our opinions, we can trace the tpuzzle seams between where we've been and what we truly know. I strive to be responsible with my opinions. Feed them a balanced diet of facts, perspective, narrative and whimsy. My opinions don't aspire to be big and strong. Just healthy. They don't yearn to be popular or franchised, just authentic and, hopefully, sturdy. Even when they appear to match, opinions have unique owners. "Defending" our opinions should mean sketching their lineage: origin, influences, close relatives, familial mergers, adoptions and a nod to the season they spent "discovering themselves." Opinions offer shorthand for our emotions, experiences and unasked questions. Question your opinions. Test them in private to see if they can answer for themselves. If they're nervous or insecure. Are they loud? Lazy? Misinformed? People pleasers? How do your opinions respond to inspection or opposition? Are they holding a grudge? We...

...and then...

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