An Ode to H.E.R.’s “Hard Place,” Franny Choi, and Jericho Brown
by Asela Lee Kemper
I almost give up last night.
Fantasized a cigarette
Piercing my lips before I
Dropped its fueled fire
Onto words I thought
Aren’t worth anything.
Thought about throwing
All of my books and dad’s vinyl records
Out of my bedroom window,
“What’s the point?”
“What am I doing wrong?”
But you reminded me.
I would rather fight than lose sleep at night
Keep working on your craft
Put your body where it needs to be, but
Stay alive.
And somehow, I woke up.
My Euphoria will be here one day.
Molasses Mag 