By Joy Lynn Clark October 29, 2015   All of my life I knew Illinois meant wild onion.  I always marked the moment by when we would smell the wild onions on the southside.  We would take the Bishop Ford and smell them somewhere near the landfills.   I don’t smell those wild onions anymore.   People now say Illinois means wild leek.   I have never seen wild leeks, though.   Anyhow, my son and I recently took a camping trip in Michigan on the other side of the lake.  My son found tons of wild onions.  We also found raspberries, mushrooms, garlic, milkweed, and nettles.  My son swears…

By Joy Lynn Clark 7/28/2015 I remember it like it was yesterday.  I was riding the orange line and holding on when I saw the ink: Chiraq.  Tattooed on the forearm of the guy holding on next to me.  I thought to myself, “damn” and I begin to reminisce. The year was 1989 and I remember when my teacher stopped everything in the middle of class and told us that we are at war with Iraq after about 20 years of peace.  My teacher asked us what we thought.  I had no idea and spaced out and watched the landscaper cut the grass outside of the window.  I couldn’t read…

By Joy Lynn Clark July 27, 2015 Found: The Paw Paw Tree I recommend that you read my last post titled “Wild Onions” if you haven’t already. I have done my family tree many times but, the last time I did it, Paw Paw came up.  I made it my personal mission to find out what a Paw Paw is.  It is a tree that is indigenous to the area where my people are from. I began talking with a  Mama at Manistee and she told me she saw one in Paw Paw.  I said, I have to make it my personal mission to find the Paw Paw Tree.  Who…

By Joy Lynn Clark Raped performed as Dazee Dizzle Raped Could I hide my face Cover my hair to feel more safe Not connect Just disconnect to avoid that fate Not even date Not have sex Let all these things hold me back To not get raped Not get raped You know what I want I’m permiscuous So I get what I deserve I ask for it Just off of looks It’s what I’ve earned And I’ve had so much experience I can’t have love Anything I might get I have to give it up Don’t want my fate to be rape Let my prose come much too late Cause…