IN OUR OWN VOICES
According to my Teachers,
I am now an African-American.
They call me out of my name.
BLACK is an open umbrella,.
A am a Black and A Black forever.
I am one of The Blacks.
We are Here, we are There.
We occur in Brazil, in Nigeria, Ghana,
in Botswana, Tanzania, in Kenya,
in Russia, Australia, in Haiti, Soweto,
in Grenada, in Cuba, in Panama, Libya
in England and Italy, France.
We are graces in any places.
I am Black and A Black
forever.
I am other than Hyphenation.
I say, proudly, MY PEOPLE!
I say, proudly, OUR PEOPLE!
Our People do not disdain to eat yams or melons or grits.
or to put peanut butter in stew.
I am Kojo. In West Afrika Kojo
mean Unconquerable. My parents
named me the seventh day from my birth
In Black spirit, Black faith, Black communion.
I am Kojo. I am A Black.
And I Capitalize my name.
Do not call me out of my name.
Gwendolyn Brooks
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created and is maintained for use in classrooms dedicated to
multicultural understanding. |