Black

My back is strained
Forced for centuries to carry your wealth

My feet hurt
Walking endless miles barefoot on jagged rocks and hot sand.

My hands are bruised and callused
Building your mansions and farming your fields.

My mouth is dry
Save the sweat pouring from my face.

My eyes are puffed
Crying as I step over my murdered brothers.

My neck is stiff
Hung too many times

My legs are bruised
For all the times you forced my sisters' legs open.

A mere cut on my body keloids
Still traumatized from endless lashes of your whips

My eyes are deep black 
The horrors we've seen have stained them forever

But my blood is rich red
Holding the spilled blood of all the Kings you killed

You stole our crowns
So we wear Afros to remind our sons where we came from.

We walk tall 
because you stole our sisters' pride, so we step for two.

We run faster 
Because you chopped our feet and shackled our dreams

We sing louder 
because for centuries we were silenced

We laugh harder 
So our laughter can echo to our forefather's graves who knew nothing but pain and make them smile

You killed us
but we have reborn and we will continue to be reborn until we restore our rightful place.

Your swords, guns ropes and bombs can only take our flesh
You will never take our birthright 

Time will see us restored
Time will see your demise
And our great-grandchildren will laugh for us while we smile in our graves holding the hands of our ancestors.