by Vae Toliver
When black womens bones
surface onshore for the world to see
Our lifeless frameworks get examined for
everything, except for who we were
Any vindication for why we weren’t
compliant with their little white lies
Any marginal reasons to back the
blood-stained badges narratives
All grounds for elimination of our rights to existence
But, black womens bones rattle out the bitterness
our tunes drown out all forms of bigotry
They can’t stomach our precious bodies
like serene waters substituting waves of war
Fluidly still at peace, regardless of the chaos
—-
Our blue hues will endlessly gleam in moonlight
Vae Toliver is an emerging artist from Denver who embodies the spirit of creative resilience. In her free time she loves to read, collect vinyl’s, attempt challenging yoga poses, and craft visual pieces; some of which have been featured in Denver’s Spectra Art Space Gallery. She also enjoys sharing content online through social media (Instagram/TikTok @lifeasvae). Fueled by her passion for writing and art, she fuses the two by pouring her soul into crafting poems that reflect her unscripted life. Vae’s journey culminates in 2024 with the publication of her “soon-to-be-published” debut poetry book, “She Who Earned Her Stripes". Her main priority is to inspire others to embrace their own journeys of self-discovery and transformation. As she navigates her path in this lifetime, she remains adamant in her personal pursuit of purpose.