The Coming of Kali

the coming of Kali
it is the black God, kali,
a woman God and terrible
with her skulls and breasts.
i am one side of your skin,
she sings, softness is the other,
you know you know me well, she sings,
you know you know me well.

running kali off is hard.
she is persistent with her
black terrible self.  she
knows places in my bones
i never sing about but
she knows i know them well.
she knows.
she knows.
~Lucille Clifton