I find that when we try to be politically correct the reality of what is tends to be overshadowed by what we want it to be. With that mindset I wrote this piece a few years ago without prejudice or intention to offend. It’s simply an unshuttered view into the reality some of us do live in. It’s sole intention is for a potential reader, regardless of their initial reaction, to take a chance and look deeper and ask “why”. There is a lot more going on in the actual poem than first meets the eye. The idea behind it or the topic it tries to touch on is that skin, race and other judgmental perspectives should not be used to qualify an individual. I wrote it from the perspective I know and no matter your view point a mere changing of words so that they apply to your situation would show you how pervasive the problem is throughout all of humanity. I am offering this brief summary as I know the true meaning was lost in the rhetoric and not left open ended enough for equal contemplation.
author: K.M. / January 22, 2006 [edited February 02, 2012]
What stereotypes do you portray? Or do you consider yourself an individual? We spend so many days looking in the mirror that we forget what it is about us that makes us who we are. We’ve grown to take on the negative portrayals of the communities we live in and seem to have no problem dressing for the part. We are auditioning to be black even though the directors we’re auditioning for have no insight or connection into the lives we lead. I am black. Yet, if I was black I would either be an athlete, an unwanted member of high society or a drug dealer delinquent product of a single parent home. Now, aren’t there regular black individuals who go to school work a 9-5 that live as any other human for the simple sake of survival. The problem is we’re all rappers and type caste movie roles. If you’re not one of those then you are not black. So, can I consciously tell you what black is? No? I can offer a few insights. Its family, history, sense of self, originality and a sense of pride. If we as a people can remember what makes us laugh, smile and gives us true fulfillment then maybe we won’t need the mirror. I apologize for the disconnected writing style, however, read until you find the meaning for yourself which is what being black is about. I cannot tell you to be black but search inside and you will find yourself then you can approach the word black.
I am Black
I’m walking down the street in my hoodie and my white-T,
So, I might be black.
I look like the rappers on the TV and they tell me they all black,
So, I might be dat.
So many times we stress the point and the point aint proven.
Someone’s right and someone’s wrong so we always choosin’
To cause division so we always losin’.
They say keep your ROCK and ROLL and I’ll keep my BLACK MUSIC.
They’re gonna read that line and say, “You so slick, but don’t you realize
Rock aint the same….colour of skin confused it…”
But the truth is…what I’m getting at,
What the root is…letting black,
The word divide black people.
The word should provide black people,
With a sense of pride.
Because black aint skin deep ‘cause talk and skin’s cheap. When you look
In the mirror are you proud of what you see inside?
So many disconnected lines, changed to disconnected rhymes.
My soul’s connected so it’s what contains my disconnected mind.
My soul tells me I’m black, proud and one of a kind.
Majority of us run away from that, that’s why society
Calls us blind.
So what I wrote, being abstract, is it all fact?
‘Cause if it is then I could go to any man, see his soul
And tell him, “you black”.
But the wise man would see the words between the lines and say
True dat, true dat, knowing that
You criticize the WORDS of true BLACKS.
My WORDS and grammar aint good so does that make me less intelligent and more Black?
Now you heard the WORD ask yourself, “Is you BLACK?”
-K.M. (G.C. 22/01/06)