Hey mama-
lately i’ve been feeling…
the weight of my black skin-
It is
weighing in…
on me-
It is…
beautiful black skin…
but like stones…
It is crushing my bones-
I am breaking inside-
Mama-
its squeezing my heart-
its Squeezing my brain-
I am losing sight-
of love-
I see red-
as I break bread-
with those who inherit-
What we, with black skin, have to merit-
I don’t know how much longer I can bear it-
Today Mama,
My professor asked-
the class-
to take a moment of silence-
for Paris-
And as
the classfell in silence-
All I heard
were violent…
Cries-
of innocent black lives-
that go unnoticed-
Mama-
When did I start
feeling numb-
to the white man’s pain?
When did I start
believing that
in revenge there is gain?
When did I start-
Seeing a view so ugly
in humanity
that I began to lose it …
in me?
I am angry
at the white man-
and his wealth-
his access to health-
and to the books on his shelf-
I am angry at
his white privilege
I want to come back to my ‘village’-
Where my black skin-
is just pretty and-
not so heavy-
but here…
you have sent me…
Mama-I am polite even when he is condescending
but that rule mama-
I am wanting to be bending-
Because
I grind my teeth-
as I make another wreath-
to leave-
on an innocent black mans grave-
If slavery is over-
why do I still feel like a slave?
Why do I still have to scream
that black lives matter-
and ask for a moment of silence
in class-
for innocent black bodies
that have been discarded like trash?
Mama-
these days I too-
“Can’t breathe”-
I am suffocating-
in this here…
atmosphere-
and No-
There are no physical chains
But I still feel trapped-
There are no physical beatings
But I still feel slapped-
Mama-
I am a grown ass woman-
But Ima need you to call me-
and calm me-
like you did when I was a baby-Because Mama- lately…
I’ve been feeling the weight
of my beautiful black skin.
It is
weighing in…
on me-
It is…
beautiful black skin…
but like stones…
It is crushing my bones-
I am breaking inside-
Mama-
its squeezing my heart-
its Squeezing my brain-
I am losing sight-
of love-