POEM: BLACKNESS

BLACKNESS

I'VE ANTICIPATED THIS MOMENT
OVER AND OVER IN MY MIND ...
KNOWING I WOULD GET MY CHANCE,
IN DUE TIME ...

A CHANCE TO TELL YOU MY BLACKNESS
IS NOT TOTALLY WHAT I AM,
BUT A MERE DESCRIPTION OF THE COLOR OF MY SKIN
PAY ATTENTION ... THERE'S MORE TO THIS JAM.

I AM NOT JUST A BLACK WOMAN NEITHER AM I A GIRL,
BUT I AM A BEAUTIFUL, ARTICULATE, WISE WOMAN OF COLOR
PLEASE PAY ATTENTION AND DON'T DISCOUNT MY WORDS
THIS HELPS TO BUILD ME AND YOU, MY SISTA'S AND BROTHA'S

I AM A DOCTOR, A LAWYER, AN AUTHOR, A SINGER ...
I AM WHATEVER I AIM TO BE ...
NOT SOLEY DEPENDENT UPON MY COLOR, YOU SEE ...

MY BLACKNESS SATURATES ME,
ESPECIALLY IN THE MOMENT OF DEFEAT
WHEN MY ADVESARIES FEEL THEY'VE CONQUERED ME,
WITHOUT CHECKING MY PREVIOUS FEATS.

MY BLACKNESS KEEPS ME INSPIRED
DUE TO THE ONES TRYING TO KEEP ME DOWN
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, I AM MORE THAN MY BLACKNESS
I'M WHATEVER I CHOOSE TO BE, AS I SEARCH FOR MY CROWN.