Mentored by Beautiful Black Butterflies

You won’t make it 

The world cries

I will she deters

Tears threatening her eyes

 

With your skin so dark 

And your hair so loud

How could you ever

stand firm, unmoving, and proud

 

The world rumbles at her

denying her greatness

She only ruffles her curls

her locks full and shameless

 

A woman you see

Powerful and mighty

Standing my ground

I’m highly abound 

 

My ancestors worked far too hard

For me to hide, shaking, permanently scarred

Heritage in my blood and fighting in my veins

You’re scared: a powerful queen remains

 

You can shoot your words

Even shoot your guns

But I assure you

a revolution has begun

 

When I cross my t’s and I dot my i’s

World, you shake and are fully surprised

 

She booms back

Ferocity in her voice

The determination in her veins

Was not a choice…

But a legacy underlaying breathlessly

 

You see

That’s the mentor behind me

Not one, not two

But a community of value

It cradled my mom

It brought up my dad

The greatest this world ever had

Beautiful, enticing, black butterflies

Fulfilling my yearning, wondering eyes

From Oprah Winfrey to Michelle Obama

To Rosa Parks to Queen Latifah 

From my beautiful mom to my exquisite aunt

To my astounding grammy who likes to flaunt…

Her style, ‘cause you see black don’t crack

So her style is still fully in tact

 

I want the world not only to see she who is me

But the generations that illustrate my making