Not that I’m hatin’ on you
but you’re thinkin my job is to
placate you and I’m thinkin
my job is to vacate you…

I’ve seen the sit-ins and the
back of the busses, seen the front
of the busses, too, and the view ain’t
no better up there…

I’ve read Marcus and Malcolmn and
Langston and Lorraine and Ralph and
Martin and James and Maya and Toni and
came to the conclusion that all them
words just gimme a damn headache…

I now know why so many white folk got such
a thrill outta watchin’ “Roots”, and I’ve
made love to Kunte Kinte a million times and
been his bride at least as many times…

I’ve cried for Dorothy and Josephine and
Billie and Butterfly McQueen and I’ve paid
my debt to jungle fever and given birth to
children who will pass…

I’ve witnessed the lord first, second and
third hand and seen his miracles whip us into
a frenzy, but don’t have a clue why He ain’t
given us our peace of heart yet…

Forgive me, Malcolm, forgive me, Martin,
but I’m still alone… still fighting…
still shackled… still in love, but still confused…

My color, my content, my character has survived…
but at what point will I know when I’ve truly arrived?

Affirmative action keeps me educated, but so what,
I’m the only Person of Color in the Humanities Department…

My brothers, my sisters all assume I’m a token,
simply because I’m so well-spoken…

I’m alive, I will survive, (and I sure enuf ain’t no midwife)…

With or without you, I will never be all about you, and
as long as your tongue keeps me from climbin’ your rungs,
I will be content to be your worst malcontent ‘cuz my intent
is to put a dent in your pent-up guilt and watch your ego wilt…

share that…