MAKING OF A BLACK WOMAN

My apprenticeship
began a long time ago
On sweltering hot summer days
Momma and I would walk along the crowded
downtown streets
Where old white men
dressed very well
would slyly spew
racial epithets
I would become so enraged
ready to fight the world
but momma would pull me closer to her
holding my anger tightly
and fearing for my life
Colored men would talk too
Saying things like
you need to take that girl of yours back home
and then come back and do…
Well momma said to never repeat that kind of stuff
She’d say they were only playing
But I knew she was hurt that they would say those things
and especially in front of me
We would keep on walking
Both of us afraid to look
in either direction
And even though she never showed me her fear
I always knew
You know even the women folk had something to say, whisperin’
Just look at her
Thinkin’ she’s better’n everyone else
She need to go and find that girl of hers a real daddy
Momma would just say
hold your head up girl
and don’t let them bother you
Your daddy
may not be here
but he helped bring you here
Remember that always
Then momma would go on about
Things like
Don’t let your heart get too heavy with hate
‘cause you might forget how to love
and aint no one worth losing the one thing God gave us
so let ‘em talk and do what they do
you just go on being someone

Yes, my apprenticeship started at an early age

That Momma was a very wise woman...Awesome write...

Excellent write

very nice

nice...

I love it.

Thank you all. I appreciate the kind words.

what a beautiful write that shows the wisdom and spirit of your momma