not bitter, just black

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