Destaunia Perry: To a Dark Girl

To a brown girl, burdened by her skin

Bruised by stereotypes and self-inflicted doubt

Judged by her outsides not what’s within

Often told “Take another route”

Forget the stereotypes you’re bounded by

Like Maya Angelou and still you rise

They may write you off with their twisted lies

But real eyes realize

They say “you’re too opinionated it emasculates men”

Well honey, he was never a man then

You don’t need no man to hustle and grind

You don’t need no man to waste your time

You’re called the “Independent Black Woman” who is so narcissistic

But are they mad you’re not another black woman statistic

A hypersexual jezebel or an uneducated baby mama?

A Welfare Queen that’s constantly in drama?

A voluntary Saarrtije Baartman who does it for the cash

As long as there are dollar signs you will shake that ---

I don't think you understand the value of your skin

It’s the essence of the struggle our people have been in

From race riots to rights and being hosed liked dogs

From lynchings, to effigies and being denied jobs

If you didn’t define yourself you were numbers in a crowd

No one ever heard they just said that you were “too loud”

How can any deny the pleasure of your company?

Don’t they know you’re from a lineage of royalty

Love your browness through and through

Love your browness like I love you

There is power in your darkness

Though it frightens the other side,

Discard all of your pain and anger,

Your heart’s where it resides