Revolutionary Lover

by Tiff Joy

When your feet are tired from marching.

Your throat is dry from shouting 

and your body, near its breaking point. 

That’s when you’ll find her.

Leading the front lines, 

holding the weight of the crowd on her back, 

face to face with the police giving the signal to change directions,

That’s where you’ll find her. 

Eyebrows narrowed, head held high, 

linking arms with her comrades blocking off the bridges to the city, 

THIS STOPS TODAY, she’ll say. 

And that’s how you’ll find her.. 

Just as you are ready to call it quits and your spirit is all but shattered, 

she’ll look to you to hold her up. 

She’ll look to you to give her just one sign to show you’re with her all the way. 

With renewed energy you’ll shout “Pa’LANTE!” 

…and that’s when you’ll know her, 

Your Revolutionary Lover. 

With dark eyes and brown skin, 

gentle fingers wrapped in a tight fist. 

Her hair tied back from her face and voice echoing through the crowd. 

“For Eric Garner and Mike Brown. Shut the whole system down!” 

You, for her. 

Her, for you.  

And when the protesting is through – 

you’ll collapse into her. 

Embracing. 

Crying. 

Losing. 

Winning. 

Together.

You’ll take her home and bathe away the struggles of the day.

She’ll wash your hair and soothe your fears. 

You’ll make sweet and gentle love, getting closer than you’ve ever thought possible. 

It’s for her you march. 

For her, you sing. and chant. and fight. 

For her you work to create a world worthy of her.

And when you love her. 

You will love her, well.. 

You’ll massage her shoulders, that carried the coffins…

…inscribed with the names of your neighbors.  

You’ll kiss her scarred wrists, bruised from metal against skin. 

To love her is to love; 

the starving child,

the abandoned teen,

the raped woman, 

the runaway slave, 

the slaughtered native, 

…and they need your love. 

They need you to remind them it was worth something. 

That their struggle is your struggle. 

Their fears are your fears 

and their vision is your vision. 

You share your story with them. 

You are honest with them. 

You must be loyal to them. 

For if you are, 

they will bless you with a love so big that 

Oshun herself will tear at its greatness.

They will love you with the hopes and dreams of the people. 

They will love you with the perseverance of their past and their wish for your future. 

They will protect you from the noise of the world and spoil you with the fruits of their labor. 

You must be worthy of her. 

The woman in the mirror. 

Your Revolutionary Lover.