Black Man

How they goin tell me

That you ain’t worth nothin

When every God-chiselled inch

Of you is perfectly, perfectly hewn

Black man

How they goin tell me

That you lazy

When your labour built the world

There isn’t a place on this earth

That isn’t infused with you –

Blood sweat tears and bone

Black man

How they goin tell me

That you are stupid

When you were the first

Mathematician, physician

Architect, astronomer, musician

Artist and magician

The list of firsts is endless

Black man

I refuse the lies

The negative stereotypes

The diatribe about your worthlessness

I am tired of listening to all that

You’ve got this black woman’s support

You are the salmon

Swimming upstream

Against the rush of water

You are excellent

Because you are disciplined

And habitual about improvement

You build your mind and body

Becoming strength able to

Bear the weak

For what is strength without burden

Or eyes without sight

Or heart without beat

You know the price of

Endurance and enlightenment

And gladly pay

For this is who you are

You have purpose and value

I - see - you!

And know that the world

Is a better place

With you firmly in it

Nairobi Thompson © 2020