Growing up a girl is hard

Toys teach you to cook, clean, and take care of a child

All by  the age of 10

You are shown that a woman's place is in the kitchen

And that a man’s place is wherever he sees fit.

 

But growing up a black girl is harder

You are the backbone to the family when mother isn't around

No matter how hard you try

you will always come last

in the race of who matters to the world

 

Black girl is never told she is beautiful

Like they do others

Tell her “she’s pretty for a dark skin”

as if it would be different if her skin was painted another color

Like black ain’t beautiful unless its mixed

 

Not light enough to “pass” or be “accepted.”

too dark, too dangerous to even be seen as equal

 

Tell her she’d look better if her hair was straighter

As if nappy meant nasty

As if her curls showed weakness

 

Black girl is told to take these “compliments”

Or else be labeled  “mad black woman”

So black girl smiles

With joy in her voice

 

But she is pissed.

She knows to keep her cool

Or else she’ll be told that’s she’s too loud

As if she was listened to when she was quiet

 

But to be black girl is to be strong

supposed to fight for everybody’s rights

like her voice ain’t stop screaming since the first time

like her feet ain't rest since the first march
 

To be woman and black

is to be born knowing your beauty does not belong to you

To be the first and last to love yourself

 

Knowing she’s not desirable to her own kind

But growing up to protect men

that hate her but look just like her

 

The world wants to leave scars on black girl

But she’s too hot.

The sun don’t even touch her

Where others are sunburnt

she is sunkissed.

Her brown sugar maple syrup

can't be bought off shelf

There’s nothing “retail” about her

That's why white girl wants to be like her

But white girl dont want to be her

 

Yes

this is another “angry black girl” poem

Another I talk you listen black girl poem
This is to all our  black girls
Bark back to those who try to bite down on you

Shout in the face of those who try to belittle you

Be that carefree black girl

The one who had to learn

to love herself

and her flaws

created herself  

when everyone else

Was trying to box her in

Be that inner black girl

Who has been held back for so long

Sincerely yours,

a carefree black girl