imitation poem: "alternate names for grief"

Inspired by poet Danez Smith's "alternate names for black boys" mentioned in previous post.

alternate names for black boys

BY DANEZ SMITH

1.   smoke above the burning bush 2.   archnemesis of summer night 3.   first son of soil 4.   coal awaiting spark & wind 5.   guilty until proven dead 6.   oil heavy starlight 7.   monster until proven ghost 8.   gone 9.   phoenix who forgets to un-ash 10. going, going, gone 11. gods of shovels & black veils 12. what once passed for kindling 13. fireworks at dawn 14. brilliant, shadow hued coral 15. (I thought to leave this blank        but who am I to name us nothing?) 16. prayer who learned to bite & sprint 17. a mother’s joy & clutched breath

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alternate names for grief - draft #1

BY SAMMIE WOODSON

1.  the darkness of the depths of a black hole

2. crashing waves

3. need quiet,

but silence suffocates

4. phantom potential memories

5. tightening chest

6. swirling, conflicting, rushing pain

7. unpredictable wind chills

8. blasting fire alarm

blinking and screeching

and seizing

9. candle wax

10. the known unknown