I AM BLACK
NOT ONLY AS A COLOUR
BUT AS A RACE
I COME IN DIFFERENT SHADES
JET BLACK, MAHOGONY, CARAMEL, GALAXY AND EVEN TOFFEE BROWN
MY COLOUR IS NOT ALIEN
NOR DOES IT LOWER MY STATUE AS A HUMAN BEING
I EAT THE SAME MOUTH-WATERING AND SUCCULENT MEALS AS YOU
THE SAME RED BLOOD COURSES THROUGH OUR VEINS
I AM BLACK
THIS IS NEITHER A TITLE NOR A PROCLAMATION
THIS IS A FACT
A FACT WITH A STORY
A STORY THAT HAS BEEN CIRCULATING THROUGH THE UNDERBELLY OF HISTORY
BURSTING TO REVEAL ITSELF AND ALL ITS SECRETS
WHERE SHOULD WE START
WE ARE NOT JUST A COLOUR
WE ARE A PEOPLE
WE ARE A UNITED FRONT
BUT INDIVIDUALLY WE STAND FIRM AS AN OAK TREE
NOT PHAZED BY THE MAYHEM AND CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER
ALL THESE YEARS OF SLAVERY AND OPPRESSION HAS NOT TARNISHED OUR FLAWLESS LOVE AND DEVOTION TOWARDS OUR SKIN COLOUR
DAY BY DAY WE STRUGGLED
BUT OUR FAITH IN GOD NEVER FAILED
THE GREAT LEGENDS THAT BECAME MARTYRS
THEIR NAMES DEEPLY IMPLANTED IN OUR HISTORY
LIKES OF MALCOLM X, MLK JNR, JESSE OWENS, MARCUS GARVEY AND THE LIST IS EVER GROWING
THEY SMASHED THE CHAINS THAT WERE HOLDING US BACK
AND OPEN THE PATHWAY FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION TO PROSPER
YES I AM BLACK
OR SHOULD I SAY …
YES WE ARE BLACK
BUT BLACK DOES NOT STAND ALONE
JUST AS BLACK IS CONJURED UP BY A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT COLOURS
SO IS THE PLANET WE CALL EARTH
WHICH FROM SPACE
RESEMBLES AN ARTIST’S PAINT PALLET
A COMBINATION OF VARIOUS COLOURS
WITH ALL THEIR MOLECULES JOINING TOGETHER
TO FORM THE MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE WE LIVE IN
SO INDEED WE ARE BLACK
AND OUR HISTORY TELLS A STORY
BUT IT DOES NOT DEFINE US
JUST AS WTHIN THE COLOUR SPECTRUM NO COLOUR STANDS ALONE
NEITHER SHALL THESE BEINGS BASKED IN THIS BEAUTIFULL BLACK SKIN BE LONELY ISLANDS
WE MUST THEN EMBRACE THE FLURRY OF COLOURS THAT WE ARE BLESSED WITH
FOR IT IS THIS INTRICATE FUSION THAT CREATED SUCH NATURAL BEAUTY
OF THE NATIONS PROUD COLOURS
AS A MIRAGE OF A GLISTENING RAINBOW
BUT
TAKE HEED OF ONE CRUCIAL FACT
WE
WILL ALWAYS BE PROUD TO PROCLAIM
TO THE HEAVENS
AND TO ALL
THAT
WE ARE BLACK!
By echoshimix
