On Black History Month

On Black History Month

If you love me you will think of me
If you love me you will love all of me
You will love my thick lips, my big bottom, my wide mouth
You will love my raucous laughter,
you will love my innocence.

Ask yourself
In stealth
Solid mental health
Wealth of joy or joy of wealth?

If you love me you will think of me:
Will making that choice
make me more or less happy?
What will please me?

What pleases me
is your black beauty
amidst black consciousness
flowing through black lips.

If you love me you will think of me:
Will being this kind of man make me proud?
Make me shout out loud
That my man, my brother my son

Has only now begun
Only now begun
To truly come
into his full potential,
Becoming something special.

If you love me you will think of me
You will think of me, your mother,
When you are with elders;
Me your sister, when you look at her;
Me your wife, when you shape your life

Shape your life developing
From greatness to greatness growing
Spiritual guidance glowing
Through ancient blood in contemporary veins

My black people - God be praised

If you love me you will be me
Be me all the time
Black
Free
And overflowing with pride

24-10-08
London, UK