Silent

My mother’s utterances
of how far from everyone

she remains, concerned,
caution rising
when she calls asking

how my wife is, telling
about the health
of my parents,

biologically my grandparents
her constant need to

lecture me,
longing for
communication

& isn’t that what we all want anyway

someone to talk to,
assuring us that
we are here,
whatever here is,

active
alive,
alone,
animated,
awake,
aware,
not quite quiet











Deonte Osayande is a writer from Detroit, MI. His books include Class (Urban Farmhouse Press, 2017), Circus (Brick Mantle Books, 2018) and Civilian (Urban Farmhouse Press, 2019). He has represented Detroit at four National Poetry Slam competitions and also managed the Rustbelt Midwest Regional Poetry Slam and Festival for 2014 and 2018. He’s a professor of English at Wayne County Community College. Books at https://www.amazon.com/Deonte-Osayande/s?k=Deonte+Osayande

You can see more of his work in 8.2 and 3.1 and 3.1 and 3.4 and 3.4 and 4.4 and 6.1 and 7.3 and the 2019 Pocket Poems Anthology