Tie down,

hold arms,

bite,

inject,

breathe.

Feel better? No,

The ache inside rips from head to toe.

Disruption.

Another sickle cell crisis.

Hospital bed.

Holler.

Imagine a superhero:

Black, strong, the same blood issues.

Big Heart,

corpuscles,

vessels,

breathe,

take in more.

Sleep.

I am Wesley Snipes.

I can leap, kill, behead.

Everybody wants to be me.

Black skin, shades, trench coat all days.

Never fear anything – even the cold.

New blood gives superpower.

I am filling up on serum

and extra Vitamin B.

I am BLADE.

My arch nemesis: ice, snow, fatigue.

I am a day walker with jumper and lycra tights.

I can’t be defeated.

Keep your Ironman, Batman,

Green Hulk, Spiderman.

A Billionaire who ain’t right in the head – Marvel.

A Billionaire who ain’t right in the head – DC.

A fat bully with anger issues.

A white kid who is never in school and gives his Auntie grief.

Black Panther mask?

I will bare my teeth.

I am BLADE.

Black superhero with occasional blood issues.

When I am juiced up

I’m gonna kill all the vampires.

I am Wesley Snipes.

As soon as I get this transfusion done,

I’m going to boss my world at night

when no one is looking.