Hanging fire

poem by audre lorde

i am fourteen

and my skin has betrayed me the boy i cannot live without still sucks his thumb

in secret

how come my knees are always so ashy

what ifi die

before morning

and momma's in the bedroom with the door closed.

i have to learn how to dance in time for the next party my room is too small for me

suppose i die before graduation they will sing sad melodies

but finally

tell the truth about me

there is nothing i want to do 20 and too much

that has to be done

and momma's in the bedroom with the door closed.

nobody even stops to think 25 about my side of it

i should have been on math team my marks were better than his why do i have to be

the one

wearing braces

i have nothing to wear tomorrow will i live long enough

to grow up

and momma's in the bedroom

who is the "speaker"