not bitter, just black

Posted on by kelley

for the black men who don’t love black women

because she’s angry
maybe because her footsteps are a sin and her breath is a crime.
she can’t express without a dagger thrown her direction
and here you come
telling her to smile
and she has to decide if she wants to be brazen or be herself
or be brave and crack a smile
because sometimes it hurts to.

for the black men who don’t love black women

because she’s loud
maybe she is tired, tired of condemning her soul
her vocal cords weak due to lack of use
those who need to hear will listen and those who don’t, well.

for the black men who don’t love black women

believe me, your failed escape route was attempted
the grass wasn’t so green when the fence was hopped
only to be fetishized, met with
i’ve never been with a black girl 
you smell different
nigger bitch.

for the black men who don’t love black women

how do you mistake a painstaking, coated-on smile for bitterness
when every day is a battle
i take the brunt for you
for us
for everyone’s everything
all the while, my heart continues to pump your blood.

for the black men who don’t love black women

because her skin is dark and thick
like yours
like your grandmother’s
like the rich forest floor
to call her every word except Earth Mother God
i ask, are you blind?

for the black men who don’t love black women

stop blaming us for your parents’ shortcomings.

for the black men who don’t love black women

a courtesy: leave us alone
keep our names out of your mouths and
allow something else to pump that hate through your veins.

for the black men who don’t love black women

if you cannot, will not recognize yourself as the issue
we thank you
thank you
THANK YOU
for your assistance in weeding out the weak
the dangerous
the unworthy.

to the black men who don’t love themselves

be careful when shit hits
if you decide to come home
you may return to an empty house.

not bitter, just black ©2016, KbW

35 thoughts on “not bitter, just black”

  2. Bam! Totally get this! Especially the “leave me alone”. My only pet peeve is about people assuming that a non BM can only be interested in a BW if it is due to a fetish. Why is the term “preference” used when roles are reversed? It’s just another way to keep us from doing what’s best for us.

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    1. Riiiiiiiight. Fetishisms can come from any angle, even when dating the same ethnicity.

      Just do what you do, but don’t worry about me over here! If one is truly satisfied with his choices, why the need to defend what they do and berate what they don’t?

      Thanks for reading and giving some feedback!

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      1. Yeah, my comment was more in general terms and not for you necessarily. 😁 I recently had a conversation on this subject with someone and it was interesting to say the least. 👀

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  6. Self hate is heavy on both sides in our community. Someone asked on FB a a question silmilar to this. She jsut asked why. And I in now way will excuse black men that turn their back on their goddesses.
    I have whitnessed why some of them do (still no excuse). For instance: When you grow up in a home where the first woman you learn to love is a self hating, vile personality. I can see how that ruins it for other black women. “The black woman who raised me for 18 plus years has turned me completely away.” Her self hate has taught him self hate. That is just one scenerio.
    But I am #TeamBlackWomen all the way. I personally could never turn my back on my goddesses. I have a beautiful black mom and sisters. They wouldn’t even let me if I tried. LOL Dead ass, my little sister who is grown is a thug. LOL.
    But at the end of the day, leave any weak ass nigga that doesn’t love his kind alone.

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    1. Right. There are so many variations and levels to it. It goes DEEP. And it just trickles down or across if we don’t recognize it and make changes.

      Thanks for the loving words, Cliff!

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  10. Ah yes. A little something to help make black man re-evaluate their short comings. It’s much needed. This will hurt those that cling to gender roles and place value on egos. And it should. Black women shouldn’t have to baby someone who doesn’t know how to take care of themselves.

    I love all women but i’m biased towards black women. Why? Because they understand my struggle as a black man more that anyone else. And I think as men we should put more value on our women; acknowledging the phenomenal role they play in our society.

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  16. This is raw, in-your-face expression, but underneath it all lies currents of pain. And the title is perfect. This kicked me in the gut. Great poem!

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  17. Pingback: not bitter, just black — black|burgundy | fenoment

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