I Think I Understand

Dear people that used me to build a country,

I think I understand.

I think I'm starting to get why you took me from my home to create yours.

I think I'm starting to see why you work so hard to make me think less of myself. I think I understand why you felt you needed to enslave and torture me.

I think I understand.

As a black man in my natural state, I am god in human form.

And no, not the god you forced on me. I mean the pure, natural, loving, and creative energy that exists in everything.

I think I understand.

When you saw me in all of my glory, you decided I was not someone to befriend, but something to tame. So that is what you did, by any means necessary.

I think I understand.

In my natural state, I was love, peace, and unity. So when you came to me I welcomed you like I always have, and that is with tranquility. Litte did I know of your hostility.

I think I understand.

When you encountered a love, peace, and unity this powerful, and it didn't exist in your society, you tried to harness it. You tried to hold me tight with out a thought of letting me go. Never really looking for the love, peace, and unity within you.

I think I understnad.

Even after you captured me and I jumpred from your boats or screamed in terror in a language forgotten, you held on. You tightened your grip. You knew my power and my greatness so you used it to build a country upon me. Anytime I moved in my natural freeness you hung me from a tree. By the 1's

2's

and 3's.

How many ways can't I breathe?

I think I understand.

You murdered generations of me and some how my love, peace, and unity makes me believe you are part of me. You beat a language into me that I couldn't speak, and now I hear you even when I think. You raped my wife and my kids in front of me, and some how, now, I'm supposed to live comfortably. Buy why? How?

You never let me be.

I build your country for free, and today you still hang me.

I think I understand...

This must all be a test I needed to remember who I am. I must have needed your mistreatment to understand the darkness of me. I am still love, peace, and unity, but the truth is you are the otherside of who I am. You even label me with words that you know are you:

Calling me black when you exhibit darkness.

Calling me n****r when you display ignorance.

You call me poor when you came to me to get rich.

I think I understand.

I have to come to terms with what you did to me. I feel you do to. I know who and what I am now, and I know you need me. I will never harm you because that is not who I am. I am not seeking vengence, I just would like to return to my peace. You are more than welcome, but you have to love yourself so you can love me. I accepted you when you didn't accept yourself. I know that may have been confusing. But if you let me guide you, I can help you find your peace.

I think I understand.

You are the yin to my yang, and we should exist harmoniously. We are actually one, you just didn't see how it was possible that I was you.