They Never AskedA Poem by Flow
Asking Questions
I have never felt comfortable in my own skin For more than a moment
How many times Was I told that being black meant That I had to fit into This perfect box That wasn’t me?
I wonder if they know How it feels to be told By the woman you feel Is the most beautiful creature Who ever lived that your not black Because you talk white and you use complete sentences you pronounce your words and You don’t have that dip in you're hip Or that glide in you're stride So you can’t be a black man
You See….
You listen to rock music And you know classical artist
Your deep into red wines And fine dining
You wear khakis And polo shirts
No my brother You are more white Than any thing else
I didn’t realize That my ethnicity Was measured by stereo types Originated from my own people Who seem to believe that being black Is outside of ourselves Like a skin we can put on And then take off at will
No one ever asked me About my experiences while growing up
The fear I had as a child At that beach where I was the only one who looked like me
The way they looked at me Their eyes were so mean
The way their spit felt hitting my face
The way the family Who brought me there acted As they sided with them And not with me
The anger I felt from feeling helpless and worthless
It was the first time That I experienced hate face to face
They never asked me About the time in college When I marched with my school For equal housing for all people In colonial heights, VA
They never ask about the white man Who marched side by side with me Holding the same peace sign That he held while marching with Dr. Martin Luther King
They never asked how that white man lost his fingers while being attacked by police
They never asked how it felt To turn that corner during the march To only see a line of police Dressed in full riot gear And behind them the Klan With stuffed monkeys on strings All yelling and telling us That when they catch us at night We will be hung
They never asked why Opra Winfrey Didn’t show up to give her speech to us
They never asked about the mentorship program I participated in to show little boys That men who looked like me Actually worked a full time job
They never asked about the training classes I taught to the homeless Or the work I did with welfare recipients Who wanted a career
They never asked me about any of that
instead all they wanted to know was Why I talked and dressed white
Like that was the only thing That made me
me © 2008 Flow
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Added on April 5, 2008Last Updated on April 5, 2008 AuthorFlowMemphis, TNAboutThe quiet submissive who adores to worship woman through lifestyle, poetry and stories. I have been writing for many years. At first I wrote alot of political poetry exploring my understanding of go.. more..Writing
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