Poet’s Peace
POET’S PEACE
Nappyfrolocalicious
Excerpt from
by Sharonda White
I am Beautiful
by Cherie Dawn Chandler
I’ll take some nappy roots Definition
With a side of locs One woman: Let me tell you all about beautiful
A few hundred braids me, I am a woman with strength and dignity.
Or maybe it’s my flyy fro I’ll rock One woman: I am here to convey all that beauty
Today does possess- It’s my attitude, my appearance, and
And don’t be trying to slip something in my the way that I dress.
drink Before I go to sleep One woman: My hardships are placed in the
So you can attempt to straighten my strands forgotten past; What’s left is my beauty that will
Without my permission forever last.
Cause you know I’ll never give it One woman: My smile radiates wherever I go-
Especially since I flipped the script People are watching - they already know
Ripped the seams and read the society page All: I am beautiful! Your words can’t change
backwards who I am. Can’t you tell how I look? Can’t you tell
And realized they meant to say how I stand? I am beautiful! With my head held
They absolutely cannot resist my beauty high, Appreciate and respect me, as I proudly walk
They can’t keep their minds off me...you see by.
So to cope, they tried to deny it and hide me
Beneath the sweat of colonialism…. Mothers
And blonde ambition One woman: Staying at home is not my prison,
But they failed to consider the divine legacy but my life I see my friends, tend to children, and
Of my fierce power serve as a wife.
Passed on by my proud and extraordinary One woman: Working allows me to enjoy the job
genealogy that I do I make time for my children and my hus-
My ancestors laugh at the buffoonery band, too.
Of futile efforts to kill anything indigenous One woman: Yes, my man left me with children
To the perfect genius to raise - I may be broke, but I’ll survive with
Of the deity who created this masterpiece praise.
In His very own image One woman: What the doctor says I can’t do, I
And I LOVE EVERY part of me that is Just like know that I can, My children will be here, and I
Him know there’s a plan.
So, I gladly take my woolly hair and bronze All: I am beautiful! From the crown of my head
skin to my feet below Can’t you see my bright eyes, and
I have no appetite how they glow? I am beautiful! Motherhood en-
For another bite of this lie I’ve been chewing hances me Understand and believe me, and allow
That says it’s not okay to be me me to be free.
In our inclusive, democratic and diverse soci-
ety Power
So you can add up the items on my ticket….I’m One woman: Women in my country can’t learn as
ready to leave well as men, I will learn anywhere, even hidden in
What’s the final cost? a den.
That’s…..one head of nappy roots One woman: I am a woman of color, excelling like
Braids, a woolly fro and a side of locs….. the rest - I refuse to be inferior - I’m too blessed to
Minus the relaxer and hot comb press be stressed.
No stereotypes, negative images or any of that One woman: I have a voice to fight for my rights,
other mess I will empower others, enduring sleepless nights.
My total is….. One woman: You can tell who I am by my style and
Priceless my grace My inner and outer beauty are hard to
erase.
All: I am beautiful! I’ve truly been transformed –
Can’t you see I have power? Can’t you see I’ve not
conformed?
I am beautiful! My reflection tells me so; I will
radiate this beauty wherever I go.
12 NAPTURAL ROOTS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2
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