Dignity

Poem for Black Women

Listen:
I know color isn’t supposed to matter much
but what has happened to you my sister?
There was a time when you thought more of yourself than what I see now
and it gives more credence to why they say “the man won’t buy the cow”.
There was a time when you couldn’t find a black woman so revealing
and yes indeed she still knew she was appealing.
Her values were more readily seen
rather than the curvature of her jeans.
For some reason you thought you needed to be more like them…
modesty use to be your policy.
Now you’re living a life of hypocrisy.
Now you flash it all just like the other side
and seemingly you have lost what once was your pride.
Pride in how you carried yourself.
Now showing everything you’ve got leaves you with nothing left.
Wanting the best but living as an adulteress.
You say you just want to be free
but
why does it have to cost your dignity?