This Hair

The hair sits on my head like it's a throne And I'm a heir to the heritage Generations of my people passed this crown on to me You may call it nappy but don't sleep on my royalty I'm king-sized, never belittling myself of feeling ashamed for the way it grows above my brain Or the way it rises to greet the rain The way every strand curls, strives and strains to make a home above the atmosphere While you want to look at it in fear Disdain, and wonder Ponder with entitled and greedy hands that violate our space the way you once did our lands Hands that want to colonize the body of a continent And plunder it for its contents Don't ask for consent before you take what you want The afro, cornrows, twists, and braids Never mind where it came from or why they were made You want locks without the dread of having them shaved to save chances of getting a job just so you can be paid You want it all just so you can look "cool" Nevermind all of us that get kicked out of school, banned from pools, and told that we look like fools All for being ourselves and expressing our pride Want to take all the "nice" aspects of being black but would never take the full ride While we actually have to hide Temper it Take snide, rude, and smart remarks just for a part of us that does what it does naturally If I'm gonna be myself anywhere in this country I have to do it aggressively Unapologetically I won't be a slave to standards that hamper my individuality or expression So to hell with what you say, think, or the way you look at me I don't care Because I'm gonna wear this hair proudly