This poem addresses "young black boys" but was written to resonate with all ages. Even if you no longer consider yourself "young" in age, we all have an inner child. So, regardless of your age, I hope these words can reach you if you never got to hear them at a time in life when you needed them most. Please enjoy the poem.
To my two brothers, my "young black kings", I love you dearly. you've protected me since day one and I'll protect you for a lifetime.
november 11 2018
a letter to our kings.
a poem by Kimberly Douglas ©.
222 black boy joy lane
my journal, planet earth K1Y 2D2
dear young black boys,
you are far more than this world expects you to be. you were not placed on this earth to be threats, suspects, inmates or creators of calamity. you were not
placed here in an act of mistake, error
or catastrophe. and yet since the moment you were born, they held a gun to your head and told you to only speak when spoken to. since the moment you were born, they labelled you, categorized you, placed you in a box and tried to silence your screams. they have deemed you as mediocre and ruined your ability to think big and dream.
they have expected you to be emotionless, submissive and especially quiet. they expect you to keep your mouth shut, hoodie up, head down, and silent. but God forbid let that hoodie be black, add a pack of skittles, an arizona and that’s a bullet in your back. but you are not what they expect of you. you are much more, greater, you shine so bright. you are strength, power, beauty, light. a gift to this world with so much to bring, not young black boys, but young. black. kings.
so it makes me so greatly wonder, why would you choose to fall into their stereotypes? why do you feel as if you need to “rep” this and “rep” that and never leave home without a strap, and tell me, why do you act like the “thug life” is your only fate? this world will try to fool you, fill your head with tons of hate like you can’t be the world’s next doctors and lawyers or, simply graduate, and why allow yourselves to give them what they want? you do not have to live the life they have tried to give you. you do not have to follow the story they have already written for you or fall victim to such taunt. you are far more than they expect you to be.
so do not give them a reason to categorize you. instead, shock them. leave their mouths open, jaws dropped, minds blown and speechless. give them an alternative reason to see you as a threat. show them the power you hold, the potential you possess. your history lies within your ancestors’ struggles, not the sagging of your pants. it lies beneath the melanin of your skin, not the cuffing of your hands. you are royalty. you come from kings, and kings of kings, and kings of kings of kings. generations of fighters that marched so you could walk free, chanted so your record could be clean, were cuffed, thrown in jail and punished, so you didn’t have to be.
so dear young black boys,
I mean,
young. black. kings.
do not succumb to the expected fates they have for you.
sincerely,
a young black queen facing the same worldly struggles too.
Written by Kimberly Douglas©
Personal favourite lines:
"and yet since the moment you were born, they held a gun to your head and told you to only speak when spoken to"
" they expect you to keep your mouth shut, hoodie up, head down, and silent. but God forbid let that hoodie be black, add a pack of skittles, an arizona and that’s a bullet in your back."
"you are much more, greater, you shine so bright. you are strength, power, beauty, light. a gift to this world with so much to bring, not young black boys, but young. black. kings."
"why would you choose to fall into their stereotypes? why do you feel as if you need to “rep” this and “rep” that and never leave home without a strap"
"you are royalty. you come from kings, and kings of kings, and kings of kings of kings."
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