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I’m Sorry

I’m Sorry by Yasmine Chervin

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I’m sorry

I’m sorry that we were once princes and princesses, Kings and Queens of nations that man could not believe

I’m sorry that we reversed our place

And allowed our race to bring us disgrace

Being “gangsters”, wanna be thugs, and promiscuous vixens, whose bodies have become an open market to different types of pains, harms, and things

I’m sorry that if until today you haven’t realized it…..I’m sorry that today is the day you realize the truth, the day you see what I see.

Our ancestors placed in shackles

Burned with iron, covered in scars were enslaved by society

And once again we have become enslaved, no longer bound by shackles of ownership

But shackles place on material things

I’m sorry that society has failed us

Put us at the bottom of the food chain and expected us swim and dream big

I’m sorry that our men are imprisoned, that although we are few our population in incarceration is many

I’m sorry that till this day we are seen as monsters, different, exotic, NOT EQUAL

And I’m sorry that if until today you haven’t realized it…..I’m sorry that today is the day you realize the truth, the day you see what I see.

India Arie said “Hey I am not my hair? I am not this skin”

But why have we subjected ourselves to disliking what we look like

Why has fairer skin, whiter skin, paler skin become more attractive to man

Why have our African Queens, Kings, Princes and Princesses allowed a society of no color to decide what is beautiful amongst us

For before we based our beauty off of skin tone, our kings and queens, princes, and princesses came in all shades of brown.

I AM sorry if you think that you are not beautiful, because beauty is skin deep

I AM sorry that we have idolized artists and famous people who have lost their touch and have withdrawn themselves from this battle we call life as an African American

I AM sorry that if until today you haven’t realized it…..I’m sorry that today is the day you realize the truth, the day you see what I see.

Ladies You are beautiful no matter what they say

SO why have we taken pride in objectifying our bodies?

I AM no saint and at times fall guilty, but why have we allowed barbies, and big booties to decide what type of love we deserve

I am sorry that Long Hair Don’t Care has made us look away from our tight coils and afro-centric looks

I am sorry that our bodies are objectified and seen as ATM transactions

Now Credit or Debit as long as the surcharge is sufficient right?

Wrong!

I’m sorry that if you haven’t found the one yet you believe that it is it. But it isn’t.

And Im sorry that if until today you haven’t realized it…..I’m sorry that today is the day you realize the truth, the day you see what I see.

Now my brothers I am sorry that you have come against each other

I am sorry that till this day, “We can’t all just get along”

I’m sorry that Black on Black crimes are seen as a norm and accepted, and I’m even more sorry that to this day we aim to do better than one another than help one another.

I’m sorry that “Dark Skins” and “Lights Skins” exist

I’m sorry that you are called dogs, and pigs, and gangsters, and murders, and rapists

I’m sorry that society has failed you,

I’m sorry that society has failed you

And Im sorry that if until today you haven’t realized it…..I’m sorry that today is the day you realize the truth, the day you see what I see.

Now I’m sorry for all the things done to us

But I’m even more sorry for us giving up

“They take my kindness for weakness

They take my silence for speechless

They consider my uniqueness strange

They call my language slang

They see my confidence as conceit

They see my mistakes as defeat

they consider my success accidental

They minimize my intelligence to potential

My questions mean I am unaware

My advancement is somehow unfair

To voice concern is discontentment

If I stand up for myself I am too defensive

If I don’t trust them I am too apprehensive

I am defiant if I separate

I am fake if I assimilate

My character is constantly under attack

Pride for my race makes me too black”

I’m sorry that if until today you haven’t realized it…..I’m sorry that today is the day you realize the truth, the day you see what I see.

@ALL RIGHTS RESERVED – Yasmine Chervin

@Iforcolor.org (2015)

person11

SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY

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