Aisha Raison - Speaking in Cursive and Other Adventures Of Little Girl Blue:Sake of applause

I don't run laps on tracks

for the sake of applause

nor do i run in place

cause my race and dark skin

grants me opportunity to talk

unity at eulogies

of the souls of Black folk -

I am African by birth and ancestry

from my coiled naps to my swollen feet

that meet pavement not to chase

but to embrace those that walked before me

that walk with me

and speak through me 

through every step I make -

opressing another to get by

and get through the so called rat race

to embrace six digits, fancy rags and European cars

will never amount to much

as the status quo

molds you as the next reality superstar...

in their eyes

you're still driving and living and breathing

while BLACK

as their lack of melanin of others

create the progress of holding you back -

our sons let their pants hang

for the sake of swag

while never knowing why

your great great great great uncle hung

long before you got all you have -

those jordans aren't gonna move you further in line, son

those red bottoms aren't gonna push you

to the front of the line, daughter -

know thyself

know that those before you

that learned the truth

wore the shoes of God's design

without tripping when they passed the baton -

grandmama was no flojo 

but she flowed and fed her children

without losing herself in the rat race

even when her race held her back or down -

papa was no Jesse Owens

but with his swift movement

the hurdles were jumped

without tripping over life's obstacles -

I embrace my ancestors through bare feet

and run my race through the dirt, mud

and rocks that could have bruised me -

It could have made me stumble

tumble through life through strife

cause someone told me to sit down

and that my feet were much too large

to stomp with God -

but I'm too busy

trying get this next lap out...