“Be yourself,”
But then they tell me to change.
“Be unique,”
But then they frown down on all my differences.
“Don’t conform,”
But then they force me to follow their standards.
“Always love yourself,”
But then they call me narcissist and arrogant.
“Be kind,”
But then they tell me to stop being fake.
“Just relax,”
But then they call me lazy.
“Work harder,”
But then they call me too uptight.
“Money can’t buy happiness,”
But then they laugh at me for not being rich.
“Weight doesn’t matter,”
But then they tell me I’m not skinny enough.
“Enjoy being young while you can,”
But then they tell me to grow up.
“It’s okay to be sad,”
But then they tell me other people have it worse.
“Do what you love,”
But then they tell me I’ll never be successful.
“You’ll be okay,”
But then they leave me for someone else.
“It will get better,”
But then they tell me that I’m being overdramatic.
“Be yourself,”
But I no longer know who that is.

our faces

all covered with sweat,

as y'all be yellin’ at us with threats,

our hands covered

with cuts and blood,

while our arms and feet,

be caked with mud

every day,

we be prayin’ to god

for our freedom to come,

ignoring all y’all sayin’ that we were born scums,

someday imma finally

leave this place

cuz’ them folks ‘round here

be claiming that black ain’t no race

all y’all folks be hootin

while callin’ my folks *******

while y’all be sittin there

rifle in hand,

finger on the trigger

y’all whipped us

tearin’ our families apart

but my ma always be sayin’

that things like kindness

comes from deep down

in our hearts

i kneel

strugglin to breathe

as you chain my neck,

and hands

but y’all push me to the ground again

as imma’ tryin’ to stand

i reckon myself i ain’t

gonna give up now

as all y’all ruin

the fields we plough

some know what life

is like without the

cuffs and chains

but the feeling feeling of freedom

is never the same

and some

that deserve it most

never leave and die

and i know that though their body is gone

their spirit always survives