The Negro’s Fear
For when you are older my dear,
I sit you right here
Not to shout or berate,
But you must get this straight
We live amongst an omnipresent fear
That one day, the palest will make clear
Institutionalized and hidden
Yet, still leaves us dead or bedridden
It lays low, complacent as a deer
Until the instance it reaches out for its spear
“Where is it mommy?”
Oh honey, it’s everywhere
So always be you, pick out your hair
Be unapologetic,
Because when you suffer, they’re apathetic
As you plead for air,
If you’re lucky, they’ll just stand there
Oh baby, our fear is our souvenir
From when the White man forced us here
But give them not the satisfaction of tears,
Stand, proudly, replacing flames for fears
Poetry By Mia Ndalugi