"Ruffles and Rust" by James B. Golden

Ruffles and Rust

When Monday arrives by Metro Express
I leave nostalgia with a Ruffles bag
empty on the rusted bus bench
someone new may dispose of them 

I lose you easier this time.

James B. Golden

James B. Golden is a Los Angeles-based author. His books include the 2012 NAACP Image Award winner, Afro Clouds & Nappy Rain, and the 2014 Jessie Redmon Fauset Award winner, BULL: The Journey of a Freedom Icon. Golden writes about the Black aesthetic tradition, gender equality, civil rights, and the LGBTQ community. He has performed, presented, and held writer workshops at some of the nation's most prestigious venues and universities, including Howard University, Pepperdine University, USC, and UCLA. His essays have appeared in The Root, Zócalo Public Square, and Vibe Magazine among others. Golden mentors young writers regularly and has been active in curriculum reform in Los Angeles. He is the inaugural Poet Laureate for Salinas, CA.

Headshot: James B. Golden

Photo Credit: Staff