The Black of me
Inversely Awakened in Black History Month of February
Does my blackness offend thee
Do you see me being audacious by my insistence
Always representing myself in portraits of ebony
MY BLACKNESS SELF
I see you ignoring my illustrations of me
While uplifting colors portrayed, depicted by them
those, though not Black, trying to simulate being me
My lips may tremble in righteous flames of indignation
The more we insist to be seen as same
The more you throw our past back into our faces
Tears no longer will bathe our cheeks
Pride, strength, fire and fierceness now will shine
Our lips now shall tremble with emotions
Creeping like lava from a volcano
Long asleep, now awakening, rumbling
From deep, deep below our surface of Blackness
Move out of my way
I am ready to erupt
Into Blackness personified
BEAUTIFUL BLACK ME shall ever shine
Don't be offended by my audacity!!!
................................................................................................
About the Creator
Novel Allen
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. ~~ Rabindranath Tagore~~
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Comments (31)
Next level narrative! You be you
Powerful inverse, Novel! Your wonderful opening portrait nicely complements your theme!
Hoooo!!! That "Fire Next Time" predicted...burning! Love the heart and soul in this and that lead photo is ALL!
Stirring words Novel, and those first few lines remind me “Still I Rise”. I like how the tempo picks up in the latter half on first reading, and how the meaning of these lines changes on the inverse-“ The more we insist to be seen as same The more you throw our past back into our faces”. Powerful stuff 👏
This is powerful and beautiful writing, Novel Allen! Thank you for sharing this with all of us. "Tears no longer will bathe our cheeks Pride, strength, fire and fierceness now will shine" You are speaking the truth. The ancestors are proud.
I keep raising to myself quite a few of these points. It is indeed time for some audacity! 💛
Move out of my way, I am ready to erupt, Into Blackness personified Powerful and moving! I love this!
Love the audacity! very powerful indeed!
That was pretty powerful, both ways! The inverse was such a tough challenge. You pulled it off seamlessly.
‘Tears no longer will bathe our cheeks Pride, strength, fire and fierceness now will shine’ An emotive, powerful poem. Plus stunning illustrations Pauline 🌸
Stunning!
Novel, the emotion comes clearly through, and it's powerful and beautifully done. That you are creative enough to make this an inverse poem is astounding and quite brilliant. I still haven't mastered that; my brain only works in one direction.
❤️Beautiful!!
Not at all. I deeply & dearly appreciate your blackness, Novel, & would wish you no other way.
“Don’t be offended by my audacity!” Yessss I love this!
"BEAUTIFUL BLACK ME shall ever shine" Keep on shining, sweet Novel!!
Brilliant & loved it!!!💕♥️♥️
Ooh Allen! This poem reminded me 'Black does not crack'. Bravo!
This was so profound and extreme powerful! I freaking loved your poem!
Right on Novie! ✊🏾
Say it proud and loud, Sister !!!❤️
✍️ "Pride, strength, fire and fierceness now will shine"... Dearest Novel: I may ask to borrow this line and use it as foreword. I admire this poem and the illustration. I see you were away. How are you?! As for me, I remain forever occupied with family and work, though allergy issues are strong competition. Keep being wonderful! 💙👏💙
Even the word audacity has been twisted into something meant to represent the disrespectful and insolent, when the root of the word is simply 'bold'. When a culture is considered brave to simply exist at all, yet vilified for their courage, you have to wonder how the people rewriting the dictionary (read:history) truly feel about themselves. Keep the lava flowing. Show them something to really be afraid of, instead of their own ghosts.
PP I see, the poem is very deep, concerning not only skin color problems, but this part awakened my anger against the senseless stereotypes we are still enslaved to.
Need this on repeat. ❤️