Rage of a Black Woman

Nowadays, we've got to be everything to everyone:

A wife

A mother

A maid

A problem fixer.

She has to bury herself in family,

like a martyr, she must unclothe her humanity

because that's what we've been taught when we

cooked, cleaned, catered the children,

and fucked the masters whether by choice or not,

boxing us into this prison of beliefs, this spot

that we live to be fulfilled by these positions.

We get the most flack for anomalies

instead of being seen as branches of the same trees.

What if I want a wife?

What if I don't want to be a mother?

What if I don't want to clean? (I usually do)

What if I just want to fix my own problems?

We are labeled a traitor to our race

or worse, a lesbian

like that's such a disgrace

Oh and God forbid if you're not chaste

a thot, a w***e

a shame to the family once more

Oh and she has to be light skinned

because everyone loves a mixed baby.

They're the most beautiful; dark and brown

is mediocre and ugly.

That's because for years we've been taught that white equals beauty

Just look at the European fad, if you don't believe me

Oh and she's got to have big b***s and a big booty,

but not a big tummy.

She has to look for herself in a classroom,

learning about history and poetry

that tells of a soldier's perfume,

but not what it's like to just breathe

if that makes sense

like give me poetry like "A Summer's Meditation"-

what it's like to just get away

to ponder the mysteries of the day.

She must be taught heavily to love herself

because she grows up in a world 

that tells her she's ugly for having curly hair and brown skin

how she must learn to fight sexism and racism from everyone

even her own kin,

that tells her: find a man or you're gay-

be docile, sweet, and quiet, watch what you say

to be smart and outspoken won't help you give birth.

Susan B. Anthony said, "Independence is happiness."

I'd like to think that's the same for African American women

and just being herself is not any less famine.

And I have a vision,

that black women will see there's nothing wrong with being a house wife

and there's nothing wrong with being a working wife

or having one

to break the shackles of our tortured past

and be free women at last. 

But I don't believe we're there yet,

Have you heard this before,

that black women are always so damn angry!  

Even if you believe this stupid stereotype

maybe that's alright

and we have every right to be.

Author's Note

Just thought to write a poem about African American women experience.

Reviews

[micahd]

Great poem, I like the description of the black woman and the way that you have incorporated stereotypes and expectations into the poem