Basquiat Untititled

PASSING

“You’re sure dark
for a white guy”
—Philip Roth
The Human Stain

Passing for a white kid wasn’t easy—
When you’ve got a big black dick like me

It’s like being queer & trying to pass—
For being a fucking str8t honky asshole

There’s no way to hide it from knowing eyes—
Eyes that know and see and see too much

My mulatto mother had to get divorced—
When my father took one look at it

One look at my proud pigmented penis—
That was it ‘cause he was outta there

My mother was high yellow just like outta—
Faulkner’s trashy novel Absalom, Absalom 

And there it was for everybody to see—
My young jet-black Mandingo manhood 

What made matters worse later on was—
I was queer as a Confederate dollar bill

I would’ve made a good Mapplethorpe model—
Once you’ve gone black there’s no turning back

Hoodoo Voodoo mojo already had me good—
My African genealogy growin' in my groin

My mulatto mother couldn’t help me—
I started wearing a Hoodoo Headrag

White chicks called me up late on Sat nights—
They wanted what I wanted: Mandingo love