Have you ever tried to love a man who thinks that death is chasing him?

I wrote Tilted Crown almost five years ago - as a response to finding myself consistently falling in love with musicians and trying to reconcile the misogynoir of rap music and the very intimate, yet tough love that can happen between a Black woman and Black man. When you are both whore and healer from an artistic and interpersonal sense. That is a heavy balance to love men who walk with the grim reaper - and it often leads you as a woman to give space and ask for little. (Until you find the right partner - but that’s another post)

Honored to work in collaboration with @trinidadjamesgg in anticipation of his upcoming release Black Owned.

In the theme of Black Owned - this poem has always been a reminder to always remain in control of who I am as a woman and to never compromise myself for any external source. Only to love myself enough to offer the overflow.

And to never let anyone play you for a fool.

Many thanks to the amazing people who helped bring this together.