I Love it When Black People Ask “How You Livin’?”
by MAYA WILLIAMS
in Fall 2020
Zalika Ibaorimi, Good Grief - II, 2020
It is more intentional than any “How are you doing?” that I’ll be asked in my lifetime.
How you livin’? “Just tryin’ to be more like you.”
It is the warmest hug from my friends and favorite cousins that I desire after not seeing them for so long.
How you livin’? “Ah, you know how it is.”
It is the in-house check in I can trust.
How you livin’? “Just hangin’.”
It is the middle finger to suicide affecting our communities and the slap in white supremacy’s face for wanting us dead.
How you livin’? “You know you my homie, right?”
It’s the angel on my shoulder pushing me to be more open about my curses in order to obtain more blessings.
How you livin’? “You know I love you, right?”
It’s the permission we call a prayer to live at all... and not just do.
Maya Williams (she/hers & they/them) is a mixed race black suicide survivor and writer residing in Portland, ME. She has published poetry in spaces such as glitterMOB, The Occulum Journal, Portland Press Herald, Black Table Arts, Homology Lit, and more. They have published essays in spaces such as The Tempest, Black Youth Project, and The Trill Project. They were also a semi-finalist for Nimrod International Journal’s 2018 Francine Ringold Award for New Writers and received a Best of the Net nomination in 2019. You’re more than welcome to follow her @emmdubb16 on Twitter and Instagram and on her website mayawilliamspoet.com.