No One Listens

Let me lay here and rest Because I am just so tired. My heavy heart is hurting All I want is for the beating to stop. When I’m standing no one sees me If I’m laying no one finds me. When I’m talking no one hears me And when I’m silent they forget I exists. So just let me rest up on this floor. I see you’ve come back This time you don’t hold whips or guns In your hands is the spinning world. And every day you beat us with it. When we get upset, we are irrational When we get angry, were violent When we get resourceful, we’re ghetto And when depression hit and motivation falls, oh that’s just typical nigger behavior. You told us at a young age what beauty was and that we weren’t it. You reformed the minds of our men to look down on us. So as we grow it is them who remind us everyday That we are not beautiful. They look at us and say “You are too dark!” Or “I love me a red and yellow bone.” Like dogs. Bitches. You told us straight long hair was beautiful. So we can buy your creamy crack and processed hair Just so we will not be mocked. But yet our efforts go in vain Because they still mock the weaves and perms on our heads And when we choose to go without It is the naps we are born with that is laughed at. And while they mock us You lurk in the corner and laugh. Because you no longer have to say anything to our people. It’s instilled in our blood from generations past To look down on ourselves And you go around with your head held high Claiming this is the 21st century and that you’re progressive But Even now you look down on your own women. You seek to control them like you do my people. You control everything from her paycheck to her womb. And when she breaks free from your world Deem her a feminist And send her to get back into the kitchen. You’d think they’d be grateful You’d think they’d be grateful. You took her image and defined it as beauty They have something to smile about. They have no reason to frown Unlike the frown permanently marked on the faces of our women. I got mine from my mother But I’ll be damned if I pass it down to my own child. I’m so tired of talking, because no one listens They hear my words, but they don’t listen But I can’t stay silent Because if I do, They’ll forget I exists.