Thursday, June 16, 2005

Being Black on a White Day

Where am I supposed to go now
when all around me everythings white
I don't know why, but I heard it used to be worse
I wish Mama would've told me
it was gonna be this way, that there'd be times when
black was gonna stand out like a sore thumb
somebody playing tricks on me
I'm sure that's it. Right?
That lady didn't just call me jiggaboo under her breath, did she?
The man at the store didn't overcharge me for a roll of
toilet paper. Of course not, that's petty, and that just shouldn't be
Should it?
Can't even go get my hair did, cause they overcharging blacks down
at the white salon, and everything white,
so I start twisting my hair
locking in my blackness since they tryna lock me out
outta they stores
outta they jobs
outta they country
I still got my rhythm, and that makes em mad
they try and take it, copy it, but its a lil too complicated
so they come up with something else,
call it Hard Rock
take some pills and just zone out.
do some other stupid shit
While I'm next door praying my white neighbor
turn it off cause I gotta be at work at 6:am
but my headphones is on, and Stevie, Marvin and Aretha
takes me away....back to Africa
where the beats are all in perfect sequence...
but only black can see the nature of that type of rhythm
untainted by anger and pure hatred
just a black beat
in a black world
even if only in this poem
I find my sanctuary.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Triple Threat!
Talent
Beauty
Brains

I'm loving your depth Sis. Keep inspiring women like me to see more than what's on the surface.

Keep writing that realness and I'll keep reading..I gave you a Big Up on another site, one on my favorite lyrical expressionists. Your name is in line with Phyllis Wheatley and W.E.B. Dubois. Ain't that some shit?

Peace and Prosperity
Korema

Icylyrics said...

Thank you so much for reading my words. It means a lot to mean to know they touch someone. You keep writig too, and I'm waiting to see that blog.