Look at Me

You look at me to compare

You look at me and ask “how do you wash your hair?”

You look at me and see a person beneath you. I must fight and work my way to the top knowing I will never be “better than you.”

You look at me with fear, and when I make eye contact your eyes move towards something else to stare at.

You look at me and see “enemy”

You look at me and fear for your safety

You look at me as if I am other, I know the question is asked “God, why did you create this color?” You look at me and secretly raped women with your power, you did anything to breed the color out of her.

You look at me and grab your purse, close your wallet, move as close as you can toward something that will protect you, you run, contemplate and get ready to attack if the moment is an opportunity for you

You look at me and see my body as a way for you to get all the glory.

You look at me and tell me I am a criminal. When I say “I did not see a lady,” you beat me and force me to write my life away.

You look at me and tell your children I am a nigger. They know I am that before they are bigger, taught to see me for my skin when YOU are supposed to teach them to look within.

You look at me and think I am disrespectful because I get down on one knee during the national anthem.

You look at me and say “at least I’m not black like you.” Yet the coaches choose me over you. He is fast, she is strong, they knew without a doubt if I am in the game, nothing can go wrong. I know this is my way of fighting back, using my god given strength as my power while you sit on the bench to keep it warmer.

You look at me with with hate

You look at me in anger

You look at me like an unworthy stranger

You look at me because you do not know

You look at me that way because your father told you so

You look at me to bring me down, you kill us, you hang us, you really don’t want us around.

You look at me and you do not want to see

You look at me with assumptions clouding your vision.

You look at me today like a slave on your plantation

You look at me and my stomach drops. I should not be scared but you are a cop, I watch you slide your fingers over two pounds of metal that will disfigure me. You will get a slap on the wrist while my mother is left with no daughter, no hope, and no justice.

Well look at me because I am here to stay, Black is beautiful, Black is beautiful in every way. Look at the beings you have created today. We stand for ourselves fighting for the rights of every black every day.

“I love the way I feel when I see my brethren with me

They shine

See can you see, can you see, can you see them shine?

I love when I see my lady shine

My queen stays shinin'

They shine, they shine.”

Watch me as I make the dance floor my servant. I dance to release the ideas of those that tell me you are not worthy. I dance because it is my birth right. I will slide to the left and slide on to the right.

Watch me because I know you see how graceful I am, how free from your words and thoughts that will never control me. nothing you say can hold me, not even this BODY.

This is beyond the flesh, this is from the soul! I was born in the body to teach you a lesson until it is my time to go home. I will stand hand in hand with all of my brothers and sisters from the past present and futures. We want this, we want you to see. Please

LOOK AT ME!