Nigga, Can't You Read?
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I went to the bathroom this morning to see a sign that said…
NO BLACKS ALLOWED!
Just then I saw the thick, black smoke that covered my eyes.
I waved away what was left of the segregation.
NO BLACKS ALLOWED!
Restaurants that didn’t transmute and unify pure with the unclean.
Little, white sisters who couldn’t play with little, black brothers.
It was all seen through soiled, white T-shirts and melanized overalls.
Social Darwin’s said coons couldn’t school like albescent folk.
Supercilious
Jim Crow wouldn’t feed dark meat to white meat lovers.
Preposterous!
No kettle could appear on a table full of silver.
No blacktop on a colorless play ground.
NO BLACKS ALLOWED!
No day could disrespect nightfall, the sun was always present.
Mr. Day, Mrs. Day
Mr. Day said “You better look me in my eyes when you talking to me, nigga!”
From Hostility to Reverence
100 years of African- American imagery on children’s games.
NO BLACKS ALLOWED!
Daddy Rice dressed as a darkie, entertaining the white folk.
The minstrel stereotype of colored people singing spirituals and always smiling.
NO BLACKS ALLOWED!
One day I saw Rosa Parks being taken off the bus because she wouldn’t give her seat up to the white man.
NO BLACKS ALLOWED
Mr. King was my dream.
He is the dream of black America!
Wait until I see my future of unity!
Comments
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T.A.Z.
Dig deep down. You have great poetic potential and you have a great intellect. I myself could understand it, but when you are writing, you ALWAYS have to consider your audience. Not everyone wants to see extra-long words. Some don't understand it. For the greatest effect of your writing, speak what your audience knows.
MVP-Most Valuable Poet
not for nothing
audience needs to listen and understand
express yourself proudly and freely-no such thing as limitation
expand your vocabulary, challenge not only yourself, and make connection to people as you did in this particular poem
people need to understand the history of racism and segregation
great job!!!!!!!!!!!
t.a.z.-always support your fellow poets, poetry comes in all forms, never criticize a poet's style