Brown is Down
By Kweku Owusu Amonoo
We’re now called people of color
Which is fine by me, if they must
The dark, less preferred than the tanned
Speaks volumes of judgment and trust.
The lighter-skinned one, prevails
Some even pass off as white
But regardless of skin tone or texture
Don’t we All, still have the same rights?
But, no, some say, “That’s idyllic.”
The light, mixed-colored have tickets
The dark(er) neither expects nor deserves
Whether it be, by protest, rally or pickets.
Ironic, ‘cos we all stem from one root
Mother Africa, the birthplace of Man
Yet the truth forsakes this reality
Blue-black, still less(er) than tan.
In Asia, you’ll note the parasol
Shielding Far Eastern skin from the sun
As if brownish tans are unhealthy
Visual code for a terribly bad pun.
And, yet, in the Western world…
A deep tan is coveted by many
Spells wealth, well-traveled, the winsome
Oh, yes, the jet-set can spare the odd penny.
Well, I, savor my chocolatey skin tone
Inherited from kith, kin, age-old
Bronze colored armor shines. brightly
Pure, rich. as the finest Aztec gold.
When the sun shines on I and my brood
Our skin sparkles and reminds of the stars
Whom reflect hope, rhythm and valor
Exceeding expectation, nonsensical radar.
About the Creator
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More stories from Kweku Amonoo and writers in Poets and other communities.
A Stranger in my own School
The year was 1974. I was a rather smallish 11 year old boy with the typical short Afro worn by most African-American children in the early 70's. My parents had recently transferred me from I.S. 59, a junior high school located in Springfield Gardens, Queens, NY to "Mfantsipim," a British-style boarding school located in the coastal town of Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa.
By Kweku Amonoo3 years ago in Confessions
What happened when the US military met a giant in Afghanistan?
In 2016, a story circulated about a U.S. Special Forces encounter with a 13-foot-tall giant in Afghanistan in 2002. The story, presented in interviews by L.A. Marzulli, claimed that the giant killed one soldier before being killed by the rest of the unit. 🤔❗ So, the story goes like this: a group of U.S. soldiers vanished during a patrol in Kandahar. Special Forces were sent to investigate, and they stumbled upon a cave with military gear but no sign of the missing soldiers. 🕵️♂️❓ Apparently, a huge, red-headed giant - we're talking 12-15 feet tall with six fingers on each hand - emerged from the cave! One brave (or foolish) soldier charged at the giant and got impaled by its spear. 😵🔪 Marzulli, a self-titled expert on cryptids and the supernatural, connected the giant's appearance to the Biblical interpretation of the Nephilim. He presented a chunk of bronze, claiming it aligned with the description of the giant's spear. 🧙♂️📜 Of course, the Department of Defense was like, "Giant? What giant? We don't know anything about that." This led to conspiracy theories about a government cover-up. 🕵️♂️🤫 Snopes did some digging and found out that the only U.S. Army death in Kandahar in 2002 that matched the name "Dan" was Sergeant First Class Daniel A. Romero. Plot twist: he died in an accidental explosion, not fighting a giant. 💣😔 The story's premise reads like fiction, with inconsistencies and a lack of resolution regarding the initial disappearance of the patrol squad. The sources all lead back to Marzulli's now-deleted YouTube video, and the story itself doesn't even have a proper ending. 🤷♂️📹 It is likely that the story was fabricated by Marzulli to gain popularity among conspiracy theorists. Meanwhile, the U.S. military was busy fighting the actual War in Afghanistan in 2002. 💥🇦🇫 The giant of Kandahar story might have started as a way for soldiers to cope with the stress and uncertainty of war or as a prank played by senior members on new recruits. 😅🤐 While such stories can provide insight into the emotional and psychological impact of war on soldiers, the sacrifices made by those involved in conflicts should be acknowledged and respected. It is important to recognize that many soldiers may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of their experiences. 🤝✊
By Infographics Show3 days ago in Poets
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