"Equal," A Poetry Post

It is because we are equal
that you can stand, planted,
nose to nose and
return my hard stare.

It is because
we are equal
that
you can hear the
music in my head
and
dance to my
rhythms.

It is
because
we are equal
that
you can withstand
the onslaught
of my hard truths.

Your equality,
cooling and fierce,
offsets the steady burn
and turns a
frightening hot blaze
into a
productive simmer.

Your equality,
a diamond emerging from
a deeply tempered
earth-baked coal,
unaffected by
late flames or the
burning rays of the
world's hot suns.

Your equality,
the emboldening force that
allows you to
reach for my heart
and expect an response.

And so,
when I see you,
I am humbled by your integrity.

I can lower my chin,
curtsy my body,
live out my grace,
and extend my hand
knowing
that when I turn away from the watch,
another set of eyes
is watching.

-T. D. James-Moss