Jessica Care Moore > Quotes

“My body was never an issue for me until I realized other people were looking at it.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems

“Bodies mistaken for women when they are still girls.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems

“the older you become, the more you realize it’s all about where you came from. what got you to this place.”
― Jessica Care Moore, God is Not an American

“I used to be a roller coaster girl"

(for Ntozake Shange)

I used to be a roller coaster girl
7 times in a row
No vertigo in these skinny legs
My lipstick bubblegum pink
As my panther 10 speed.

never kissed

Nappy pigtails, no-brand gym shoes
White lined yellow short-shorts

Scratched up legs pedaling past borders of
humus and baba ganoush
Masjids and liquor stores
City chicken, pepperoni bread
and superman ice cream
Cones.

Yellow black blending with bits of Arabic
Islam and Catholicism.

My daddy was Jesus
My mother was quiet
Jayne Kennedy was worshipped
by my brother Mark

I don’t remember having my own bed before 12.
Me and my sister Lisa shared.

Sometimes all three Moore girls slept in the Queen.

You grow up so close
never close enough.

I used to be a roller coaster girl
Wild child full of flowers and ideas
Useless crushes on polish boys
in a school full of white girls.

Future black swan singing
Zeppelin, U2 and Rick Springfield

Hoping to be Jessie’s Girl

I could outrun my brothers and
Everybody else to that

reoccurring line

I used to be a roller coaster girl
Till you told me I was moving too fast
Said my rush made your head spin
My laughter hurt your ears

A scream of happiness
A whisper of freedom
Pouring out my armpits
Sweating up my neck

You were always the scared one
I kept my eyes open for the entire trip
Right before the drop I would brace myself
And let that force push my head back into

That hard iron seat

My arms nearly fell off a few times
Still, I kept running back to the line
When I was done
Same way I kept running back to you

I used to be a roller coaster girl
I wasn’t scared of mountains or falling
Hell, I looked forward to flying and dropping
Off this earth and coming back to life

every once in a while

I found some peace in being out of control
allowing my blood to race
through my veins for 180 seconds

I earned my sometime nicotine pull
I buy my own damn drinks & the ocean
Still calls my name when it feels my toes
Near its shore.

I still love roller coasters
& you grew up to be
Afraid
of all girls who cld
ride

Fearlessly

like
me.”
― jessica Care moore

“How dare you be that unapologetically black. Girl.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems

“i realized early that black girls carry universes inside their bodies waiting to be named.”
― Jessica Care Moore, God Is Not an American

“I was a refined black girl magic.

I was gold, already. Ask my mother.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems

“woman of exile and love you. were never afraid of being radical or becoming a full time student of human rights you. sacred. you. not tired. you. destiny driven. you. kathleen cleaver you. evelyn lowery you. juanita abernathy you. elaine brown you. power seekers you. goddess you. sojourner you. you. mariam makeba you. fire starter. you. nina simone you. international you. sister. you. mama africa”
― Jessica Care Moore, God Is Not an American

“I pray
on my great GrandFather’s feathers

—the ones you don’t respect—
That you never dare call me

Mixed

when i have been a nigger anytime
you felt like it.

I’m from an army of glowing yellow/black princesses
some of us indigenous. we know.

even if the full-blood family don’t claim
us.

We all one caste system away from
spiritual death.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems

“the place where you enter and i exit are not two separate locations so please stop dropping contemporary bombs and new school lies on my ancient and very wise pussy.”
― Jessica Care Moore, God Is Not an American

“You are so well read to be so brown.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems

“this poem is for zora, coretta, angela, mary, mama stone kathleen, rosa vivian, irene, virginia, mama lovelady and every child born girl today.”
― Jessica Care Moore, God Is Not an American

“This was not a breakdance beat down in a Brooklyn alley.

This is figure skating.

Go figure.”
― Jessica Care Moore, We Want Our Bodies Back: Poems