A Jazzy Self-Reliance
by Synnika Alek-Chizoba Lofton
Jazzy fingers scroll a peace-tinted
sky. A volatile reach is a melody,
like an old Bobby Womack record.
The mood lightens. Morning.
7:30am. Weightless. Save cosmos
for later. Brew me a cup of some-
thing bold, black, and loud—that
rich Kenyan blend. No sugar. Let
me rage against daylight and find
meaning on this rapidly spinning
planet. A high awaits somewhere,
in stereo, without wingless
leaders, or saviors, sporting Brooks
Brothers suits, rambling about
social change or simply the change
in their already swollen pockets.
I gamble with time, rolling dice,
walking this tightrope, expertly
balancing risks, trying to avoid
smoldering pavement. This
American thing is a hustle—
evolving. Stretching its heavy
body across lives. Leaning.
Preying on flesh to fill its belly.
I inhale insatiable sunlight,
satisfying an urban thirst,
and with Baldwin-like curiosity,
I navigate a concrete jungle.
sky. A volatile reach is a melody,
like an old Bobby Womack record.
The mood lightens. Morning.
7:30am. Weightless. Save cosmos
for later. Brew me a cup of some-
thing bold, black, and loud—that
rich Kenyan blend. No sugar. Let
me rage against daylight and find
meaning on this rapidly spinning
planet. A high awaits somewhere,
in stereo, without wingless
leaders, or saviors, sporting Brooks
Brothers suits, rambling about
social change or simply the change
in their already swollen pockets.
I gamble with time, rolling dice,
walking this tightrope, expertly
balancing risks, trying to avoid
smoldering pavement. This
American thing is a hustle—
evolving. Stretching its heavy
body across lives. Leaning.
Preying on flesh to fill its belly.
I inhale insatiable sunlight,
satisfying an urban thirst,
and with Baldwin-like curiosity,
I navigate a concrete jungle.
Synnika Alek-Chizoba Lofton is an award-winning poet, educator, and publisher. Lofton is the author of more than 35 collections of poetry and more than 177 spoken word albums. His poems have appeared in Clock House Journal, Revenge, UpStreet, Experience Reality Magazine, Quay, Dissident Voice, The Skinny Poetry Journal, Mid-Atlantic Review, and Blue-Collar Review. In 2024, his poem “To Honor Her Bold Walk” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He earned both a B.A. in Creative Writing (2004) and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (2006) from Goddard College. He holds teaching positions at Chesapeake Bay Academy, Norfolk State University, and Elizabeth City State University.