"Black"
by Charles Jones
(Charles was a guest speaker at
Sunday's service @ the Gazebo)
Black
is a synonym
for beautiful -
it’s sounds like a black woman
belting her vocal cords -
hitting vibratos that don’t exist
Black
is shouting Kobe as you arch your wrist - watching trash fall into the waste basket Black
is making table beats
with a pencil as a high hat -
your wrist as a snare -
a cadence only made in the lunchroom as we have rap battles
and we cackle:
flaunting the money we don’t have Black
is winning at hide and seek in the dark Black
is shouting “this my song!”
to every song!
Black
is saying ghosts aren’t real
except the holy one
Black
is saying thy will be done
Black
Is the skin color of my Jesus
Black
people are the pioneers of rhythm
Black
is having dreadlocks in the work force Black
Is having dreadlocks
and being able to walk
across and graduate on stages Black
is knowing that these kinks
makes me a king
my afro is a crown
and I decree:
“THOU SHALT NOT TOUCH IT” please admire from a far
Black is lovely
so love who you are
but Black life has been ugly
in certain parts
Black
is sometimes spending your life behind bars
Black
is going to jail for a crime you didn’t commit
and if you did, Black will get longer sentences than someone with a lighter complexion
Black
is raising your hands immediately
because you don’t want your name in front of a hashtag Black
moms and dads have been robbed of their sons and daughters for “noncompliance”
Black
is raising your fist
so they know you will never quit
or be quiet
Black
is realizing the Civil Rights Movement never ended
Black
is taking a knee,
because I only stand for my people
By having Black skin, every breath I breath is a protest Black is the backbone
that this country is built upon
Black
are the footprints of my ancestors
on the soil of America
whitewashed away by the waves
of white literary canons
Black
is someone borrowing your culture
for a day but not your skin color
they want to be Black
without being Black
is Garza, Tometi & Cullors
Black Women:
your hair is a vibrant microphone
and white noise cannot overshadow your sound so speak up!
Black
is intelligence
back when NASA
needed a lift
they called Katherine Johnson to do it
Black
is inventor
Black
is artist
Black
is being a teacher
because that’s where my heart is
Black
is half-Black;
& half-Black
is still Black
Black
is the absence color
in a majority of make-up products
Black
is mitochondrial Eve
Black
is privilege:
because I will look like this forever
Black
does not crack
if you are not
Black
YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THE N-WORD. Period. Black
shouldn't just be celebrated in February
because
Black skin
is always
Black is a 24/7 garment
of Black experience
I am always black
Black is always
having skin
that appears the sun
has kissed it a thousand times
Black
is the type of life that matters
copyright 2020 by Charles Jones
cjones@bakerdemschool.org