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I AM sorry that we have idolized artists and famous people who have lost their touch and have withdrawn themselves from this battle we call life as an African American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