Ya'll Don't Really Hear Me Tho

Ya'll Don't Really Hear Me Tho

A Poem by John Byrd
"

I like slang. Titled from a Meek Mill song.

"
You all don’t actually hear me though.
Ya’ll just assume who I am from the few words I use.
Ya’ll don’t take the time to get to know the true meaning
Behind the words I use.

Ya’ll don’t care about what I go through.
Ya’ll just want to catch me slipping.
Ya’ll don’t want me to succeed.
Ya’ll don’t want to see me go from nothing to everything.

My motivation is struggle, but you all wouldn’t know that.
You all would just assume my big ego is my motivation,
But do you even know where I got my ego from?

A young black male from the hood with leaking ceilings
Who is set up to fail
Making it into the big leagues.
Full scholarship to Cranbrook and heading off to college.
Ya’ll don’t really hear me tho.

Yes he may be quite handsome and very muscular.
Do you know why he works out?
To keep all the pain and stress out of his mind.
Instead of going to the corner to sell crack
He works out and tries to be productive.
With the role as being role model to the other children in the hood.
You don’t actually hear me though.

If only you knew how hard it was for a black male
To succeed.
“Oh you must play sports” is all I hear from rich white parents.
Basically they are saying I’m not intelligent enough,
But I just keep my head up and gain knowledge,
Just to prove them all wrong quietly.

Most people wouldn’t understand the struggle.
It’s too “real” for them.
They just say “ohh it’s easier for you to get into college”.
Oh really is it because I would think
Having all the money and resources in the world would be easier?
Is your neighborhood full of violence,
Poverty,
Poor resources
Drugs,
People who are illiterate,
And people who would kill you in a second?

I’m not the only one.
I’m just trying to lift us up
And hear other people’s stories.
Will you listen to mine?
Ya’ll don’t really hear me tho…

© 2014 John Byrd


Author's Note

John Byrd
Kind of a cocky poem from 2 years ago. The incorrect grammar was used on purpose.

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Added on August 15, 2014
Last Updated on August 17, 2014
Tags: Struggle

Author

John Byrd
John Byrd

Detroit, MI



About
Junior at Michigan State University. Hip Hop and poetry are my two favorite things. Childish Gambino is my favorite artist. Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Henry David Thoreau are my favorite .. more..

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