Brave enough

 

Will I be brave enough to 

Read a black poem in front of the audience?

Will I get death threats after readin it? 

Will I be told not to speak it out loud ever again?

Cos it would make certain people feel unease….

I thought about it

I mean I post my black poems online 

And people love it, just a few 

Since I’m invited to an open mic 

It’s a free space to open our souls 

Especially what’s goin on right now….

I want people to think,  

I want people to carry a message when they’re off somewhere 

After a poetry event…

I want people to sit with a feelin, 

Look in the mirror and study…..

As a black woman in a wheelchair 

I watch 

I observe 

I do my best to understand…

If I say somethin offensive 

Would I be able to handle it in person?

In the video? 

I’m not speakin about criticism…

I’m speakin of I didn’t see color judgments 

Those types of i hate the woke…..

I’m not sure but I’m thinkin about usin 

My voice 

My heart 

I’m not an activist 

I’m speakin up for black people 

I advocate for their humanness…

Recently my people haven’t been treated 

Well…actually my people haven’t been treated 

Well at all 

If you know their stories….

Cos of the system….systematic racism 

That has been around for years….

Will I be interruptin by someone if I spew 

Facts? If I put truth directin in crowded eyes?

Will I cry suddenly thinkin it was a mistake?

Will i be cancel on the spot?

I don’t know….

I don’t even know…

If I’m so brave enough to speak 

What’s real and there’s no excuse?

Will I be brave enough to say white people?

White folks? 

White supremacy?

If I place my black poem on the mic 

And say we live in a different world

If I’m ready 

Cos there are so many people 

Who has an issue defendin black folks 

We can’t even talk about racism…

Without difficult discussions 

Arguments….

I wanna be bold 

Unapologetically 

Fierce 

Makin spines quiver with fear

Cos there are certain people 

Who doesn’t like strong

Weak is their favorite…

I don’t wanna be a coward….

I wanna say what’s real 

What’s matter

I don’t wanna be punished for 

Doin the right thing….

For sayin truth….

I never want to worry About 

Feelings just cos

I said what I said….

I do mean it…

I won’t say sorry…

Whether 

It’s appropriate 

Or not….

Do I have a backbone cos 

I’m not tryin to hear

Martin Luther King jr?

I don’t want my mind to change 

Cos you have a discomfort zone 

Settlin upon your bones..

All I want from the audience 

Is to take the message with you 

When you sign off 

When you pick up your groceries 

When you take care of your babies 

I’m brave and bold and unapologetically 

Enough to get on the mic 

And black people are humans 

Just like everyone else..

We’re humans 

But the world says we’re not…

I think America says 

We’re three fifth…

It tells us all the time 

Yet we’re the original people 

On the planet….

You know it’s dead wrong….

It’s always been dead wrong….

We’re humans 

I’m bold enough to say that…

To say black people are humans, too

Again, am I goin to get canceled?

Would you skip me?

Would you mute me?

Would you shut me up?

Even if you don’t know me 

💯✊🏿©️ Kai C. 9-16-25