Nappy Roots

your thoughts curl around your hair
you dig into your matted wool
with an afro comb or pick
to reach down into your nappy roots
You brown eyes squint
your shoulders hunch up
move your head
left to right front to back
when that afro comb or pick
catches hold of those little curly naps
behind your ears
at the base of your neck line
tinder head is what you are
go ahead put in that relaxer
it’s going to burn your scalp
the tip of your ears
it’ll straighten those nappy
roots for a short time
it won’t last forever
those tightly tangled nappy roots
are going to grow back
they will be just as hard
to brush down
comb through
or pick out as they were before
you tried to change
what is naturally your roots
your people are going to
roll their eyes
smack their lips
shake their head
when they see
what you’re trying to change
All you need to do
brush it
comb it pick it
braid it
grease your scalp
just live with your roots

3/6/02/jrg Copyright© 2010 by Jeff R. Ghee

The sweat of woman

The sweat of women
Drench their face
Drip to the ground
Water the fertilized seeds
To grow new life

Women sweat
Working hard for the family
Women sweat
Cleaning house and cooking food
Women sweat
Making plates and cleaning dishes
women sweat making babies
And having babies
Women sweat
Keeping him happy and keeping him at home
Women sweat
Making that phone call to her to claim him
Women sweat
Going over there to get him
Women sweat being sexy and smart
Women sweat cleaning and dressing kids
Women sweet teaching and loving kids
Women sweat dancing and singing
Women sweet
laughing and crying
Women sweet sewing and mending
Women sweat loving the in laws
Women sweat remembering all the birthdays and anniversaries
Women sweat the small things that make the big things possible
Women sweat everything that everyone forgot
Women sweat through that time of the month and still function
Women sweat keeping the family together
Women sweat when they have had enough
Women sweat raising kids by themselves
Women sweat
being mothers and lovers sisters and daughters

The sweat of women
Drench their face
Drip to the ground
Water the fertilized seeds
To grow new life

And we thank you
And we thank you
And we thank you

4/28/11/jrg
Copyright© 2011 by Jeff R. Ghee

Family of Mine

Brother Brother Brother

Come stand on my shoulders
So you can look out over this wall of
Injustice and map out our escape
No wait
Lest walk out this gate together
Your older you lead the way


Sister Sister Sister

Don’t let no man use or abuse you
Disrespect you or take advantage of you
Call me when trouble is near
Ill defend you fight for you if I have to
Be strong

Mother Mother Mother

Rest you weary bones, soak your tied feet
Don’t worry about make up
You natural beauty is inspiration for the sun to shine
We can sit and talk
Tap our feet, clap our hands and sing along
To old time church songs

5/3/02 Copyright © 2009 by Jeff R. Ghee