Plantation is not a metaphor

Plantation is not a metaphor
When she told us she’d been fired
for holding an open door for the Muslim sisters
For telling the white man that was not her name
For allowing the sisters to hold space
For being the Didi to the sisters far from home
The school was founded by a plantation owner
Never got the memo about emancipation
after the war did they have a choice?
how many died in his mine
Who cooks the food

Plantation is not a metaphor
The first time they let me into
The UC faculty club, brothers dressed
in white jackets, like my uncle 
or grandfather
who were pullman porters
keeping the secrets of sons of 
plantation owners

The plantation is not a metaphor
The violence of the University cops
of the building security 
GS4 patrolling the Bank of Amerikkkka offices
Running after me
Keeping close watch
Attacking the 16 year olds in Hyde Park

The plantation is not a metaphor
The ancestors were lent out to build Emory
Which was carved out of Atlanta plantations
Mama’s godmother’s people did wash 
for the Candlers

The plantation is not a metaphor
Right to work laws
At will employment
the first fired
the white house
the supreme court tells nestle and cargill
they can keep them negras on that plantation
their corporate structures
the rows of venture capital offices
on the borders of the farm


The plantation is not a metaphor
always on stolen land
Not no one’s land
The creek where grandmother’s people were enslaved
a cruel reminder of whom it was take from
Palm asked the Ohlone to consecrate the office
It didn’t save the company
There are many ways to end a plantation

marx says the capitalists own plantations
mf i know
they haven’t bothered to innovate 
they implanted a dream to aspire to white houses
to ask the owner for permission to live

The plantation is not a metaphor
Find some item to steal
plot some cog to break
i give you permission to set fires
poison, smash windows
escape to the woods
commune with ancient spirits that transcend space
cast spells
make it ungovernable if even in your dreams