Optometry with Momma

*CONTENT WARNING: child abuse

Okay, Ms. Perkins, this shouldn’t take long. Tell me which seems more clear.

Interesting. How about these?

Hmm. Still no difference, huh? Give these a closer look:

Don’t worry, ma’am. I have issues telling the differences myself. Our eyes evolved to trick the soul—they blur, they decolor, they hallucinate. We say truth comes when we see it with our own eyes, but eyes did not evolve to see truth. They evolved for mothers to see alligator snouts while they bathed us in rivers. But now, what do you see, Momma?

Last one. I need you to help me see this, Momma. I need to know why we blur the line. What did you see? What lurks in the soul that makes a child’s scream look identical to education?

Martheaus Perkins

Martheaus Perkins is an MFA candidate at George Mason University in Virginia. He is an emerging Black writer; his heroes include Maya Angelou, Billy Collins, and Langston Hughes. His work has appeared in On the Run, Sepia Quarterly, Black Fox, and Longleaf Review. Currently, he is dealing with an obsession with hot foods and excessively long YouTube videos. He can be found on Instagram @mark__perkins.