Who was Sambo Rogers?

Political and Socially Conscious Free Verse Poetry

Black History Challenge

Poem #7

Sambo Roger's father
Was a draft dodger
So he got it naturally
Because an apple
Doesn't fall far
From the tree
So Sambo didn't like
Being called a Negro
As he tried his
Best to avoid and hide
His Negroid features
But deep inside
He tried his best to
Assimilate
But the weight
Of hate
Caused them to
Discriminate
Against him
When all he wanted
Was to join them
He knew the chances
Of that happening
Was very, very slim
So Sambo decided
That he would ask
His Uncle Tom
What to do
For he knew that his
Uncle would definitely

Understand
His point of view
So the advice he
Was given
Changed how he
Was now living
Now he is surviving
Shucking and jiving
Entertaining 
White folks changed
His life
But the one thing
That remained
Unchanged
Was his chains
And that he could
Never, ever
Gain, maintain
Or collect their
Respect
When it was due

020070002021 Nefarious J. Dorsey©

Author's Note

In African-American culture, Shuckin' and Jivin' (or shucking and jiving) is joking and acting evasively in the presence of an authoritative figure. Shuckin' and Jivin' usually involves clever lies and impromptu storytelling, used to one-up an opponent or avoid punishment.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

To be something that others want us to be creates confusion of identity...and often
we get lost the new us, and no longer recognize the old us we once were.
j.