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Sophia Williams Poem
Born from slaved backbones of our forefathers and mothers
We have risen, Liberated, freed from encroachment
Apprised through noble heritage, an abundance of history
Mother Africa gave birth, infused life,
rocked the Cradle to all humanity.
Kidnapped for trade of ivory, diamonds, and gold
ancestor’s identities stolen, flogged savagely, and sold
Incarcerated in chains of hate, taken away from the motherland
Violated, stripped and slogged, shipped off to other lands.
Now we discriminate amongst ourselves, hate ourselves, forgot ourselves with colourism and ethnic divide
I’m Black, not black I’m Brown, I’m Redskin, no I’m Lightskin…
Does it matter? I’m tired.
Is it not the Kingdom of Africa, from which we all became?
Enlighten me here, trace our lineage back
Historically, Are we not the same?
Black woman our DNA is welded from the racial suffering of slaved Black women before us
oppression of our own black identity by skin tone does nothing to empower our culture.
Every single one of us like our history of aristocracy
abundantly rich tones of black, browns and golds,
radiant hues of melanin
A creation so exquisite, there’s no denying, we’re phenomenal beings
We are the Aurelian Of Mother Africa — Nubian queens
we shine, we glow, we bling.
Let’s stand together united
empowered through the spectrum of our BLACKSKIN!
Written by Kiki Ray
Copyright © Sophia Williams | Year Posted 2022
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Sophia Williams Poem
Chapters of this Woman
Who am I?
An unread story —
a book whose cover is waiting to be opened
for my pages to be stroked, to be turned,
my words to be ingested — to be heard.
Who dares to read?
Who is brave enough to delve beyond my first page
absorb every chapter of me,
without prejudice, without judgement, without fear.
Are you?
Chapter One
Once upon a child
abandoned by her father, the daily struggles of her mother
culminated from the fruit of her labour.
I am ripened through hardship, cultured from oppression
sometimes chapters of me are fragile,
tears smear my words — sometimes.
And when the wet pages of me tear & fall apart,
who cares enough, who is patient enough
to handle my pages sensitively.
Sellotape me together, piece by piece.
Are you?
Chapter Two
Once upon a woman
abandoned by her lover, the daily struggles of a mother — like my mother
fortified from the fruits of my labour.
Matured from hardship, enlightened from the freedom and beauty of my culture
my stapled pages recite with unapologetic truth
the writings of me read differently,
my dialogue stronger than ever was.
And as my story evolves, my narrative grows
my pages — reinforced, with wisdom.
Inside each new chapter of me, I rise up,
raising my daughters with a different voice.
I nurture their prose with resilience & wonderment,
for it is they who breathe life to my narrative, consolidate the purpose of my story —
glue my pages together.
My happily ever after.
Copyright © Sophia Williams | Year Posted 2022
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Details |
Sophia Williams Poem
The building of me stands erect
Perfectly, imperfectly flawed
My plastered, painted smile hides the cracks
inside my walls
From outside looking in
sun shines through the windows of my eyes
But step inside my humble self
hidden leaks will soon arise.
In the rooms of my conscience
dirty laundry laid out bare
But clean laundry hangs out to dry for all to see — to air
If you’re looking for a show home
this house is not for you
The foundations of me wired with many faults
but abides with integrity
Warning!
I ask that you tread carefully
stepping on my indented floors
the building of me may stand erect
But I’m perfectly imperfectly flawed.
Written by Kiki Ray
Copyright © Sophia Williams | Year Posted 2022
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