TOO BLACK
THEY TAKE MY KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS
THEY TAKE MY SILENCE FOR SPEECHLESS
THEY CONSIDER MY UNIQUENESS STRANGE
THEY CALL MY LANGUAGE SLANG
THEY SEE MY CONFIDENCE AS CONCEIT
THEY SEE MY MISTAKE AS DEFEAT
THEY CONSIDER MY SUCCESS ACCIDENTAL
THEY MINIMIZE MY INTELLIGENCE TO POTENTIAL
MY QUESTIONS MEAN I AM UNAWARE
MY ADVANCEMENT IS SOMEHOW UNFAIR
TO VOICE CONCERN IS DISCONTENTMENT
IF I STAND UP FOR MSELF, I AM TOO DEFENSIVE
IF I DON`T TRUST THEM, I AM TOO APPREHENSIVE
I AM DEFIANT IF I SEPARATE
I AM FAKE IF I ASSIMILATE
MY CHARACTER IS CONSTANTLY UNDER ATTACK
PRIDE FOR MY RACE MAKES ME "TOO BLACK"
Psalm of Life
Life real. Life is earnest.
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow.
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Finds us farther than to-day.
-Longfellow
