https://soundcloud.com/mentalnotes-1/my-melanin
My skin begins telling me things
Stories
Only my ancestors were qualified to tell
Living in such hell
But
It’s my Melanin
That propels me into my destiny
And validates the rest of me
And when the kids used to tease me
About my big nose with big hips and wide lips
And gave me that look staring straight at my titts
I knew it was because of the Melanin
That lay deep underneath my skin
So I would run home
And wrap a towel over my head
With a rubber band at the nap
And pretend to be white
See, I had to fight to believe what I know to be true today
And only age matured me
And my grandmamma adored me
And my skin
I was perplexed by this darkness that
Stared at me in the mirror
That stared at me in the schools
That stared at me on the streets
And taunted me
Even while I was asleep
Smiles behind hidden hate they constantly berate my beauty
My superiority is in my Melanin
Shut up in my skeleton
Is where my power lies
And I will never be so ignorant to hide my beauty
So I tell every little black girl
You are a queen
And never be afraid to be seen
I was my Melanin that pushed me into darkness
And now I understand
That it is my Melanin that propels me into greatness
I can’t hate this
This skin that’s so beautiful
And shines when the sun hits it
It’s my Melanin that perplexes them
I realize
That I love
My skin
NO MATTER IF YOU ARE PURPLE OR GREEN, LOVE YOUR SKIN (:
mentalnotes1 
I wonder about the whole dark/light discourse in European languages; like in London (where I’m from originally) we say: “That is well dark” meaning nasty, evil or twisted.
In Star Wars (e.g.) we have ‘the dark side’, we have this association between the night we are afraid of and blackness.
Black is the unknown, the unseen; white (in this discourse) stands for clarity and openness.
I recently came across a post on freethoughtkampala’s facebook page where they discussed the condition whereby “every word that comes from the white man’s lips is taken as gospel”. That’s an exaggeration but not far from the truth here in Uganda. Even though Uganda was not properly colonised (it was a protectorate, it still has its ancient kingdoms) the missionaries, administrators, merchants and teachers presented themselves, and were used by locals, as arbiters of the Truth. Shining white clarity…
I’m rambling, its very early in the morning.
I like your poem. I read it aloud a couple of times and enjoyed the patterning, tried to discern the meaning, but it was too dark… 😉
Nice one. Am going to dip into a few more…
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, THIS SPOKEN WORD IS ABOUT ME AND HOW I FELT AS A CHILD. DARK IS BEAUTIFUL EVIL IS BAD. I SUPPOSE I WOULD THINK AS YOU THINK IF I LIVED IN UGANDA. A LOT HAS HAPPENED OVER THEIR. THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHITE OR BLACK GOOD OR EVIL THIS IS ABOUT HOW I FELT ABOUT MY SKIN AND MY MATURED APPRECIATION FOR MY SKIN AND MY HERITAGE.
I APPRECIATE MY ASS AND TITTS AND WIDE LIPS (: NO INJECTIONS OR MAKE UP FOR ME AND THAT IS NOT TO SPEAK BADLY ABOUT THE BLACK AND WHITE WOMEN WHO WEAR MAKE UP AND GET INJECTIONS. I MAY START SAGGING WHEN I’M 60 AND HAVE TO GET SOME FORM OF COSMETICS (:
I LOVE MYSELF AND MY SKIN (:
This is so powerful! I love the confidence in this poem
THANK YOU STRANGER (: ITS GREAT SEEING YOU HERE AGAIN(:
Yeah, I admire the power and passion in your work too. Keep well! Thank you for reading my blog.
POWER I TAP INTO EVERYDAY, WE ALL HAVE IT (POWER)NO MATTER THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN.
Reblogged this on Author, G. D. Grace.
Nice poem. You found the truth and it is never too late for that!
Hey, I’ve awarded you the blog of the year award 🙂 http://wp.me/p2DnTA-H3
THANK YOU SAGEDOYLE, I AM WORKING ON THE GUIDELINES NOW (:
Awesome, I think I had a total of 9 awards to give out and I have two posts left to work on. You have at least one other award coming, though I think maybe two, I can’t even remember anymore it’s been a lot of work. No matter what you deserve them!
AWWWEEEE THANK YOU (: !!!!!!! I HAVE TO PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK I HAVE BEEN WRITING! WHEW HAVE I!
Yep, you deserve it!
I really enjoyed this! THANK YOU
YOU AR WELCOME LOVE, I AM SO GLAD YOU LIKE IT (:
Loved this one, for all,.. As beautiful as the colours of the night, the shadows of the light, the places of oceans deep, where all the beautiful creatures of life, they wake to be…
SUCH SWEET VERSES DEAR THANK YOU (:
You’ve been quiet of late, how is the world over your way?
SWEETIE LIFE GOT REAL ON ME AND I WAS FORCED TO TAKE A BREAK. I WAS POSESSED WITH THE RELEASE OF MY NEWEST BOOK MENTAL NOTES ll “GREY AREAS” AND JUST DECIEDED TO RELAX MY MIND FOR A BRIEF TIME. SOMETIMES I GO TO DEEP FOR TOO LONG WITH MY WRITING FORCING ME TO REMEMBER THINGS I WISH TO FORGET. REST ASURE THE BREAK IS ALMOST OVER (:
AWFULLY NICE THAT YOU NOTICED ME GONE, YOU MADE MY DAY (: