prayer & alchemy

loving you taught me to fear time.

the way it twitches and stalls;
inconsiderate and devastating.

i’ve been asking god for a prayer;
words to perform like ancient alchemy
to steal arguments and moments
stuffed with secrets and laughter
and bring forth a hushed path
to take me back to you before sooner.

in love, eternity is too short of a time;
it’s endless; and ever; and not enough.

jamilla vandyke-bailey is a 28-year-old, pro-black feminist who uses her writing to provide a voice for silent traumas, and to hopefully create a sense of belonging amongst the misfits. She has had work published in Tasteful Rude, Hash Journal, Santa Clara Review, etc. Her collection of poetry, than we have been, was published by Weasel Press in the fall of 2021. Follow her on instagram @alli.maj