What am I to this society,
Just a simple waste of breath?
Would the world truly benefit
From my untimely fall and death?
So much in life can stand change
Especially for those like me...
Colored women of rich skin tones,
Forerunners of a dual minority
The world knows little about
And pays even less respect to;
Others might think it strange,
But I know it all to be true
The streets act as my mirror
Of what stands as life reflected;
I cry out against this treatment,
So damn tired of being disrespected
By those who think they know
How it feels being called out of name;
People these days are so inconsiderate
And I tell you, it's the greatest shame
Maybe one day the world might
Accept us wholly for who we are;
Yet judging from its present state,
We still have a long way to go, by far
Pathetic as it is, we must fight
Ubiquitous vices such as discrimination;
Racism and chauvinism are ambient
In what appears a sorry situation
Like always, however, we'll overcome
This and other instances of strife
For though you may degrade us,
Never can you strip us of life
Outside repressors constantly fail
In their unending missions to dictate
Members of the dual minority,
Objects of their misguided hate
Cruel world in which we exist,
People so eager to turn their back
On those whose births do not favor,
Simply for being a female and black
However, what hasn't been destroyed
Continues to prosper, growing strong;
Despite adversity at every corner;
Who said dark skin tones were wrong?
Perhaps when society opens its eyes
Every entity will finally begin to see
The virtues sought for centuries past
In the many members of this sorority.
Author notes
some thoughts (based on personal experience) of how strained race and gender relations have both broken and strengthened me and other black women.
Written July 31st, 2003
In a list
- Raving Against Injustice • next in list
- The Ice Queen's Dreams • next in list
- For Recognition's Sake • next in list
A contest entry
- Racism and its effects.PWs allowed by Misskaoz.
650 points, ended November 5, 20 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 31 of 31
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This is a great write and I must say I as some other white women belowed always wonder how black women deal with being a dual minority. I see so many people putting down black women, even black women themselves, (I.E. for some reason a black women can't be beautiful if she has dark skin, wtf is wrong with that) I am glad you entered this poem and pointed out the fact that although we have made some strides we still have far to go. I just wish people would understand, no matter how you look on the outside, we all have the same feeling insides. We all hurt, love, cry, need, want and many, many things we have in common. The Background related very nicely to the poem.
Keep on writing and I will keep on reading.
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I am helping Megan judge. I thought this was an amazing poem as well. I am also white but have never been racist, I treat everyone equally. I know of the plight of a black woman though as I have had many black female friends.
And well this reminds me of the song "They" by the singer Jem "Who made up all the rules, we follow them like fools believe them to be true, don't care to think them through, I'm sorry, so sorry, so sorry it's like this, I'm so sorry they do this, who are they? where are they? how can they possibly know all this?" all I can say is I'm sorry that you feel this way and you had to go through what you have, hopefully one day there will be no such thing as a minority and those who are of minority will find justice. Thanks for entering and good luck! -
Wow... I am a white female myself, but I have often wondered how often girls in your situation think about their plight, indeed, being a dual minority. I love the poem, I love your outspoken heart and soul and your true words. You are a wondrous writer, I saw perhaps two places where it didn't flow, but we are all guilty of that. Thank you for entering my contest.
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This brought a tear to my eye...this was beautiful and true on so many levels...The emotion felt here and the way you expressed such feelings...phenomenal. It is a shame how people are still so very ignorant. What a grace your words possess. It is almost as if you wrote this with pure gold...leaving the paper to shine and sparkle...I love your writes..I hope you don't mind if I add you to my favorites
-sydni
p.s. I finally found it, lol.
Edited on May 16, 6:31 p.m. because 'typo
'.
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It takes someone to live in our skin
To know where the truth begins and ends
To know the presence of vindictiveness
And how sometimes we fade into the abyss
Black women being at the bottom of the barrell
Eating from these sicknesses though the bone marrow
Yet their strength is ever present, and stronger still
There's great beauty in this race that no ignorance can kill
Love you girl! Thanks for the inspiration.
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Yep. Everyone here is right. I can say I haven't been a target of racism, but I definitely have been a target of sexism and male chauvinists. They suck. Why is it that people can't get past ignorance? While I say I haven't been a target, I have most definitely been a witness to it. Even my ex-husband was a tad racist, and the remarks he would make just made me cringe...my stepmother too. I hate driving with her, if anyone who is not caucasian dares to drive in a way displeasing to her, a racial slur comes out amidst a string of obscenities. Why?
It's really quite sad.
That being said, my boyfriend did a paper back in college on the evolution of race that I found quite fascinating. Well, I didn't read the paper, he just told me about what he had learned - such as darker skin tones in very sunny climates and the lighter ones towards northern Europe and such, based on the fact that they have more shade available. Basically, (over many many years) the skin produces more melanin depending on how much sunlight you receive. Kind of like a tan.
Skin color evolved based on your body's needs. With this theory, it kind of leaves you wondering where it all began. We know about early man being covered with fur to withstand severe climates and that fur eventually thinned to the slight body hair (more in some cases, like my ex-husband, the rug) that we have today. Hair and eye color were involved in this study also. Something about reflecting light and blah blah. Anyway, I found it all fascinating, now you're free to agree or disagree with me if you like. 
I think I'll shut up now before I delve into the whole Creationism vs Darwinism argument!
As for your poem, it is absolutely excellent and echoes many truths. It's sad that society still behaves the way it does. I did feel it was very much like what Maya Angelou writes, she is fantastic and I can see you following in her footsteps. A very strong woman you are, and do NOT let anyone tell you otherwise!
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Just what I needed
This is so true and so well written. We (women of color) are the dual minority). We are bottom of the barrel citizens. What a way to treat the people of the mother land, all people of this earth descended from us! Patriarchy blah, racism blah. The human race has made advances in science in technology but cannot manage to conquer ignorance. shakes head
Sadly enough this is our fate. The mother's of mankind and we are treated like s**...the more things change the more they stay the same. They just find new ways to opress us and keep us in line. The women's movement is losing strength, we need to come together.
Sorry for the preaching but this poem has touched me deeply. Oh and the background is just lovely.
LT -
After reading the last two poems I decided I liked your poetry so I thought I'd read some more.
Women technically aren't a minority since theoretically, the planet is half men and half women. How that works out to in reality though, I'm not sure. But they sure are treated as one, which is rather sad.
Any way, I definitely agree with what you've said here. Being a white male, I'm not a minority, but I've seen and heard of the injustices that have been done and it really is quite horrible. I remember watching a movie called Mississippi Burning in my US History class, what horrible things that were done to people there.
I remember reading about how black men got their voting rights in America long before women did and last semester I read an essay on it. There was a quote in it that made a rather good point, it went something like this (but not exactly since I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment): "I wouldn't mind if it was just the educated men who are able to vote, but all of them can vote whether they are educated or drunkards."
I could go on and on and on about this for hours and hours and make a several page response, but I'm sure I'd just be repeating things you've heard elsewhere. The first stanza drives the point home quite well. Excellent poem. -
this definitely was a very strong and moving piece, and was written very intelligently. The vocabulary in this piece are like every other piece of yours I've read; strong, and some of the words so...large, let's say...that you might need a dictionary at your side when you read it. Great job! Definitely thought provoking.
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VERY strong, you have a command of language the calls for more. I applaud you and bow my head in shame for the world in which we live. You will go far, with my deepest of blessings. xMx
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Very thought provoking piece...it is a pity how people still are separated by color of skin among other things.
We are all created in the same image....such a pity.
great piece.
Sam
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wow Raven... absolutely amazing write!
I'm left speechless, and that doesn't happen often
YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!
much love and respect
GypsyDreamer -
Too true, too true...
But I've begun to be extremely tired of everyone fighting and arguing over racism, sexism, bla bla bla...I mean yes it's great to have a stand on something, and the world should most definitely be rid of all those "-isms"
I myself have been a "victim", if you will, of racism and such, and used to be an ardent defender of equal rights for all, but I've gotten sick of it...I hear/see arguments over it everywhere.
Yes, everyone should continue with their efforts, I'm not discouraging it at all, please continue, stand up for yourselves and others alike, but I myself have given up, it's all too irritating...
Anyways, you wrote a great piece, it was kind of refreshing, because it had a sort of spin that most pieces on racism dont take.
Salaam
~s§~
Edited on Aug 05, 9:46 p.m. because ''. -
A poem with a strong passionate message to which I agree. Both male and female are equal in Gods sight, its just a symptom of a corrupt society that finds excuse in gender/skin colour to discriminate/dominate. A worthy, intelligent read.
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wonderful
things have a way of appearing to change.. yet they never evolve into what they say they will.. racism & sexism.. i can't see the point in either.. there's just no friggen point to it.. thank you Ms. A.. for showing how you feel about this.. understanding is how things like these end.. -
this is such a wonderful poem. Society seems to discriminate so many people. Its awful how some people can be. This is an amazing poem, keep up the great writes!
-je -
This is so beautiful. I'm a female caucasian, but I've seen what tired prejudices can do and how biting it is still even after years of hearing overused terms. You'd think by now with all the awareness being raised that it would stop, but in truth it becomes no less painful and it becomes no less of a problem. Still, this is refreshing and rational and also passionate. Great job- Maya Angelou worthy in rhyming and feel. Keep it up.
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I was just about to abandoned ship from allpoetry, as I am getting tired from commenting on all these fine poems. This will be my last dying brreath than, your poetry will reap the rewards!
That's a great question to start a poem with. This just gets me thinking about how futile life can seem. So many people who commit suicide don't think anyone will miss them, or conversely wish to inflict pain on someone. Anyways I've always seen life as important. You are the meter of your own success. Have you ever just thought how powerful you could be, just with sheer willpower? hah sorry I'm ranting. But you got me thinking, so good job!
Discrimination, the meat of your topic, well I don't have as much to say to that. This topic is something that you ellaborated on so very well that I don't think I really need to say anything else. People do need to wake up to what they do to others. It's wrong, and a fact ever so slowly we are starting to realize. The only line I could imagine myself commenting on is "who said black skin tones are bad". I think we know who, it's just the fact that this old train of thought from hundreds of years ago has to be abolished for good.
Great job at getting us all to think on this one, blessed be
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dudette, i love the rhythm and rhyme here. I'm fat, filipino, and indian, so i can feel ya in some respects. I've been fortunate enough to not face racism in it's fullest, and i'd never wish it upon anyone. Just be strong, someday, the world will wake up. Good job here.
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amen... the worlds pain is within but wot u c every day is the pain of those who cant except an amazin talent like u.... every word connected wit me in this one... 'my race made me who i am today, i strike fear into the enemies of those or oppose, for no matter how long it takes it will be me who wins the race ofs mankind'
this jus sum shit i spilled from sumthin i wrote time again, i appericate al ur comments cuz from wot i seen so u by far the most talented artist i have encountend.... 'when life gets us dwn, we turn to run but now we stand the man/woman for the time of change is inevertable but for now in this moment i am me and proud to c'....
believin is the key, time is agasint but the way forth is to battle...
u give so much meainin from ur stuff and its like voices of angels...without tryin to sound tacky sendin light on an otherwise bitter world... thank u for sharin
ps dmx 'ready to meet him' u probably knw it if u dnt check it out
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This is wonderful... The people who judge you like that have no life, no intellect, and you are high above them. The flow of this was wonderful... just excellent. Keep writing!
*Kate* -
Well you know I have three strikes against me.
1. I am a female
2. I am black
3. My skin is fair, so this means I get disrespected by poeple of darker skin.
this was great poem.
Yvonne
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Eloquently expressed...powerful and beautifully written. Your words begin to battle it, if only everyone had the same approach. This is very well written.
Red -
This is a very strong write, and beside the emotion and message it is beautifully written. There are so many poems here that would benefit the world if they could only see them... although it's true I guess they would never really appreciate them.
Thankyou so much for sharing this.
jannin -
this is a very powerful poem.your word uses to portray this image is just so beautiful, despite the sad bitterness it brings. this poem really makes you think and it's so unfair. i may be discriminated, but for different easons so i couldn't truly know how it feels being as i'm a white female. i can empathize though, but stay strong your day is coming.
~poe -
I have a very good friend that is part Cherokee indian. One day not long after we met I asked her, "Are you part indian?" You could have heard a pin drop. A deathly silence fell over the room; I know in my heart that she thought I would be prejudiced (sp) against her because of her nationality, but I was only curious. She finally let go a long held breath and said, "That is where I get all this long black hair from." I think she told me she is one-fourth cherokee. Anyway, we went on to become the very best of friends. I like your poem by the way.
Damon D. Brewer -
Well done as usual. I am caucasion, but a minority of a different type, so I do understand where you're coming from. My local area is just about all Jewish, but when you get on the internet and see it on a global scale...Some ppl just don't understand. You couldn't have picked a better title for this one. We'll hope together that our world smartens up and learns that everyone's different, and its just sumthin that they're gonna havta deal with!
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hey again... i really enjoy all of your poems, and your use of words really sets this off, very vivid and self-explanitory... keep it up! Jewels~
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Oh my goodness! This poem is so beautiful! It is strong, but not overpowering. I don't understand how you FEEL, but I can see (and definitely agree with) your point of view. I also like your rhyme scheme. I spend a lot of time on mine, and most people don't even notice how interesting some people's rhyme schemes are. Anywho, again you have a very special eloquence with words. keep up the great great work!
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Great write
Be Proud of who you are! A wonderfully talented poet. If others can't handle who you are or what you do, well remember that its usually people like this who need two hands to remove their heads from their transverse colons. -
This gives such a vivid taste of what the world has come to..i truly enjoyed this poem. You are a very talented writer..can't wait to read some new ones
thanks for the comment on Outside.
do come see some other of my works
From one truthfilled poet to another
luv*~*Mandy*~*
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