"strongBLACKwoman"

All Rights reserved by the Original creator.

y'all have heard
many many times
i'm sure
'i can bring home
da bacon'
'i can hold my own'
and 'i dont need
no man
to make mine
a happy home'
and so on and so on and so on
yadda yadda yadda..uh huh.

when it gits right down
to da real nitty gritty
i'm justa 'nutha statistic
livin' for da city
poor/workin' poor
Black, single, manless
with/without kids
strugglin' erry day
to make ends meet
tryin' to stay
one step ahead
from bein kicked out
in da street
fightin' back tears
that threaten
to fall from my eyes
and sometimes
secretly wishin'
to just give up and die...

yeah i walks da walk
and talks da talk
of a 'strongblackwoman'
who dont take no shit
diss a nigga
just cuz i can
3 snaps up and 3 down
'dafuck i need wit a man?
yet many times
i'm all alone
nobody evah
rings my phone
no one to love
or to love me
cuz i'mma
'strongblackwoman' u see
who dont need
nobody but me...

yet deep within
i know it's a lie
and when aint
nobody 'round
i breaks down and
i cry
damn, errbody
needs somebody
and we sistas
have stood alone
too long
singin' that same old
'dont need no man' song
that 'strongblackwoman' role
has become
played out and old...

well, i'm hangin up
my 'strongblackwoman' gear
and givin into the fact
that i'm human
and have fears
i wanna be loved
and open my heart
i wanna share my world
n'steada bein distant
and apart
i wanna bare my soul
and give in
to my needs
i wanna set my mind
and my spirit free
i want attention and affection
that i've rejected for so long
like Al Green said
"i'm so tired of bein' alone"
i need a do-right
righteous brotha in my life
to make mine a happy home
cuz in order to really be
a strong Black woman
i have to accept
my vulnerabilities
my weaknesses
my fears, my doubts
cuz that's what bein
a 'strongblackwoman'
is really all about...

so my brotha, please
take my hand
and please try
to understand
i'mma sista who is still
"under reconstruction" u see
so please try
and be patient wit me
God aint thru wit me yet
i'm still a sista
who can do it for herself
but this time i aint hesitatin
to ask for a little help
or a strong shoulder
to lean on
when shit gets rough
and to know
that you will love me
no matter what...

soooo....on that note
i conclude this tale
of a not-so-strong-after-all
Black female
whose heart is now open
wider than wide
who's ready to give love
and receive love
who's willin to shout it
to the Heavens above
who's woman enuf
to finally see the light
who's tired of walkin round
wit her lips set tight
who is ready to bare her soul
who needs some righteous love
to make her completely whole
who's not afraid no more
of lettin it be known
that dammit, she sometimes
cant make it out here
on her own
and who is
extending her hand
for the comfort, love
and strength
of a righteous, loving
and caring
all-true
strong BLACK man....

strongblackwoman...yeah, when i need to be...
but...
a vulnerable, not-so-strong Black woman
who needs to be loved...
yeah. that's me...


(c) soulpoetess 2004