And if iif i ever let love gobecause the hatred and the whisperingsbecome a phantom dictate i o-bey in lieu of impulse and realities(the blossoming flamingos of mywild mimosa trees)then let love freeze meout.(from i must become a menace to my enemies)

June Jordan
About This Quote

The first line of this poem is a hyperbolic description of the human heart. We all want to be loved, but it is easy to forget that love can make us vulnerable. It can make us soft and weak. But, if we manage to love wholeheartedly, we will stand up for what is right even when it may cost us our lives.

In the second line, the poet describes a world in which he must become a menace to his enemies, not out of any impulse or desire, but because he must do so. It is within this image that we find the power of the human spirit. When we feel compelled to rise above our own safety and embrace our mortality, we have truly lived a meaningful life.

Source: Directed By Desire: The Collected Poems

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  1. And if iif i ever let love gobecause the hatred and the whisperingsbecome a phantom dictate i o-bey in lieu of impulse and realities(the blossoming flamingos of mywild mimosa trees)then let love freeze meout.(from i must become a menace to my enemies)
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