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The Pleasure Podcast by Bry Reed

The greatest lie the devil ever told was making pleasure taboo. This semester, I am embarking on an adventure to create a podcast that places pleasures at the forefront. I combine Black feminist theory with Black sexual politics while having conversations with some of my best friends. The Pleasure Pod is a teaching tool, a kickback, and everything I have ever dreamed about using my passion for theory and talking my sh*t in service of public scholarship.

Thank you to Kaitlin Barkley and Jared Lindo for being my first guests. Special shoutout to Jaelyn Taylor for getting us set up with tech and being an amazing Black girl in tech.

Copyright: I do not own any of the music used in the podcast.

la señal de la luz by Bry Reed

on the edge of the river

she wades,

draped in amber,

with

honey pot

nestled

between her thighs--


she bakes,

tossing currents

beneath fingertips

like flour,


she kneads at earth

breaking apart soil

from sun,

then, she lifts them

inches above the ground

&

wraps them in herself


reaching down

she dips two fingers

bathing them in sugar

until she presses them

uno

a

uno

to his lips.



his tongue sparks along her skin.



the horizon shields them--

layers of amarilla

piña, maíz & oro

drench them in comfort--

against the threatening gaze

of Oya,


huntress,

sister,

warrior,


armed with machete

& flame.


a love

forbidden

as

sky

meets

river


fresh water gives life to pleasure

let tragedy ignite their kisses


they hide among sunflowers,

challenging nature to create

a union

as beautiful as this.


yellow butterflies surround them,

tempting Yemaya

to witness

the formation

of heartache



bodies rolling


back


& forth


like oceans


driving toward shore.


his thunder cracks

a hole

in the clouds



out pours rain

 like

crescendo


as his body

                  touches constellations

binding them to this universe.



she gives life meaning

with her smile--

her lips curve

twisting, turning

like flower petals

shifting in the summer breeze.


her head tilts back

&

the river rushes

forward


honey trickles

down her calf,

tears crawl down her cheek


they break apart in waves

sunset.