Modern Day Black MommaWho Is She?
Who is the modern day Black momma?
Originally freeTorn from AfricaGroomed into an American slave
Somebody sawthrough her dark skinTheir American dream
a cultural genocideStripped her authenticity
Her familyBrokenBy greed
Self-identify, family values and traditionsshe struggled to hold
Freedom for her familyFreedom they got
For those who wanted itscattered abroadLivin’afro-euro
holdin’ onto theunderground railroadnegro mother’sdream
The modern day black momma, who is shetoday?
She’s the thriving successful business woman,the career mother struggling with corporate racism;she’s momma and daddy sometimesrolled in one;
she’sthe songstress longing for a hit solo,tryin’ to sing awayher bluesbutprocrastination redirectsher dreams;
she’s the divorcee looking for romance—her mental baggage is too heavy to embrace new relationships.
Momma is the beauty shop gossip queenbraiding, weaving, pressing and perming hair
chatting with clientsshe hopes will continue to bring in the revenues;
she’s the waitress in the restaurant, the cashier at the local grocers;the banker who cashes your neighbor’s paychecks.
rejectedby a society
who says:she ain’t pretty enoughain’t light enoughain’t dark enoughtoo fattoo thin
hair ain’t straight or kinky enough -- unpolished English.
You know – the fictitious beauty queenwe ain’t goneneva see
She’sthe mother who shuffles between work and welfare –strugglingto find herself in a world that does not understand;
she’sthe motherlivingin the projects—she ain’t got enough moneyto pay renton her own;
workin’getting’ lettersin the mailsayin’“yo’bills areStillpast due”
she’s the motherwho frequents juvenile courtsto RESCUE her rebellious son.
she’sthe modern day Black momma who arrives to the church houseseeking answers to her problemsand consolation from the Word of God. Sanity, Cancer, AIDSShe’s still fightin’Pushin'For her life
she isthe personification of the ghetto queena leader in her communitywith painted acrylic nails, hair styles, fashions and figures that become a phenomenon;
she’s the one with the fancy church hat—
with a décor of DIAMONDS and GOLDon handsthat labored for years;
she’sthe bus driver, the construction worker even the postmanthe police officer and the JUDGEwho mustJAILtheir own.
she isthe MBA entrepreneurwith an EMPIRE of ideas;
the single parent re-entry student starting over—PARENTINGdemanded her attentionin her TEEN years;
she’s the TEACHER who empowers the mind,
the actressfightingfor her role;
the doctorthe lawyerwho graduated with honors and credentialsto carry her to the top;
the first ladywhose skin tone they ain’t neva seenas… the prime-timespeakerstretched center stageof America
she’sthe minister trying to save your soul,
the activist pounding on your doorsaying“vote for your rights.”
she isthe dancer who will never gracethe stage of an audience—she lost her dance along the way
she’s the prostitutetrying to escape an environmentshe’s addicted to;
the drug addictthe thiefwho got losttrying to find her way;
she’sthe momma whose been abused as a small child,DAMAGEDand prone to DOMESTIC VIOLENCErelationships;
she’s the one with the mental problemnow a government responsibility—
the one holding it all togetherFIGHTINGfor BOTHof your lives;
she’s the oneREACHING OUTpulling you back and BEGGINGyou to STOP and listen.
she’sthe FIRST person the neighbors, relatives, school officials, and police callwhen our sons fall into trouble.
I wondered if you knewthe modern day Black momma?
Who is the modern day Black momma?
Originally freeTorn from AfricaGroomed into an American slave
Somebody sawthrough her dark skinTheir American dream
a cultural genocideStripped her authenticity
Her familyBrokenBy greed
Self-identify, family values and traditionsshe struggled to hold
Freedom for her familyFreedom they got
For those who wanted itscattered abroadLivin’afro-euro
holdin’ onto theunderground railroadnegro mother’sdream
The modern day black momma, who is shetoday?
She’s the thriving successful business woman,the career mother struggling with corporate racism;she’s momma and daddy sometimesrolled in one;
she’sthe songstress longing for a hit solo,tryin’ to sing awayher bluesbutprocrastination redirectsher dreams;
she’s the divorcee looking for romance—her mental baggage is too heavy to embrace new relationships.
Momma is the beauty shop gossip queenbraiding, weaving, pressing and perming hair
chatting with clientsshe hopes will continue to bring in the revenues;
she’s the waitress in the restaurant, the cashier at the local grocers;the banker who cashes your neighbor’s paychecks.
rejectedby a society
who says:she ain’t pretty enoughain’t light enoughain’t dark enoughtoo fattoo thin
hair ain’t straight or kinky enough -- unpolished English.
You know – the fictitious beauty queenwe ain’t goneneva see
She’sthe mother who shuffles between work and welfare –strugglingto find herself in a world that does not understand;
she’sthe motherlivingin the projects—she ain’t got enough moneyto pay renton her own;
workin’getting’ lettersin the mailsayin’“yo’bills areStillpast due”
she’s the motherwho frequents juvenile courtsto RESCUE her rebellious son.
she’sthe modern day Black momma who arrives to the church houseseeking answers to her problemsand consolation from the Word of God. Sanity, Cancer, AIDSShe’s still fightin’Pushin'For her life
she isthe personification of the ghetto queena leader in her communitywith painted acrylic nails, hair styles, fashions and figures that become a phenomenon;
she’s the one with the fancy church hat—
with a décor of DIAMONDS and GOLDon handsthat labored for years;
she’sthe bus driver, the construction worker even the postmanthe police officer and the JUDGEwho mustJAILtheir own.
she isthe MBA entrepreneurwith an EMPIRE of ideas;
the single parent re-entry student starting over—PARENTINGdemanded her attentionin her TEEN years;
she’s the TEACHER who empowers the mind,
the actressfightingfor her role;
the doctorthe lawyerwho graduated with honors and credentialsto carry her to the top;
the first ladywhose skin tone they ain’t neva seenas… the prime-timespeakerstretched center stageof America
she’sthe minister trying to save your soul,
the activist pounding on your doorsaying“vote for your rights.”
she isthe dancer who will never gracethe stage of an audience—she lost her dance along the way
she’s the prostitutetrying to escape an environmentshe’s addicted to;
the drug addictthe thiefwho got losttrying to find her way;
she’sthe momma whose been abused as a small child,DAMAGEDand prone to DOMESTIC VIOLENCErelationships;
she’s the one with the mental problemnow a government responsibility—
the one holding it all togetherFIGHTINGfor BOTHof your lives;
she’s the oneREACHING OUTpulling you back and BEGGINGyou to STOP and listen.
she’sthe FIRST person the neighbors, relatives, school officials, and police callwhen our sons fall into trouble.
I wondered if you knewthe modern day Black momma?
Written by Author, Felice Bois, 2006©