Brighter
My book is called Shine Sistah Shine. How dare anyone try to dim my light by suggesting that I limit my words, or refrain from writing altogether? The problem is my light is shining too bright in your eyes, and it burns. This light isn't for everyone to look at. Some of you are not worthy of reading my words, let alone studying and sharing them.
My gift is not revealed to please or bring displeasure to anyone. It simply is.
It's mine. It's not to be put in a box on a shelf to avoid being held by people who can't appreciate its fragility and beauty. Like a toddler in a china store, you'd break everything you laid your over excited hands on.
It's funny because I used to be uncomfortable with the gifts of others. When I would go to poetry shows, the "deep" poets who talked about rape, molestation and accountability to God would make me uncomfortable. I'd wonder, "Why did he come to a bar at midnight with all this political poetry? I want to hear about that cheating boyfriend whose car got keyed. I want to hear about how that random guy made that girl scream in the bathroom stall last week."
I get it now. When you are gifted you have an obligation to share it. In that bar at midnight, there was one soul that needed to hear those exact words in order to clear the path to his or her gift. Cycles. But when you're blinded by worldly things, and buried in self hate it's kind of hard to appreciate a person with the courage and strength to share her gift no matter what.
My mom used to listen to a song by MC Lyte, called Search 4 The Light. Some of the lyrics go like this:
If you are not ready the light can be BLIND-ING
and not worth finding
So for this you must prepare:
stay awake, wake up, stay aware!
There are SO many distractions
Those that see the Lyte, just a fraction
Those that don't remain blinded
The Lyte is there, they can't find it
One by one they fall in the darkness
And it's sad, to take part in this
But I'm hoping, that you just might
get together and Search 4 The Light
So if my LIGHT offends you, get yo ass some shades and Search 4 YOUR Light...
My gift is not revealed to please or bring displeasure to anyone. It simply is.
It's mine. It's not to be put in a box on a shelf to avoid being held by people who can't appreciate its fragility and beauty. Like a toddler in a china store, you'd break everything you laid your over excited hands on.
It's funny because I used to be uncomfortable with the gifts of others. When I would go to poetry shows, the "deep" poets who talked about rape, molestation and accountability to God would make me uncomfortable. I'd wonder, "Why did he come to a bar at midnight with all this political poetry? I want to hear about that cheating boyfriend whose car got keyed. I want to hear about how that random guy made that girl scream in the bathroom stall last week."I get it now. When you are gifted you have an obligation to share it. In that bar at midnight, there was one soul that needed to hear those exact words in order to clear the path to his or her gift. Cycles. But when you're blinded by worldly things, and buried in self hate it's kind of hard to appreciate a person with the courage and strength to share her gift no matter what.
My mom used to listen to a song by MC Lyte, called Search 4 The Light. Some of the lyrics go like this:
If you are not ready the light can be BLIND-ING
and not worth finding
So for this you must prepare:
stay awake, wake up, stay aware!
There are SO many distractions
Those that see the Lyte, just a fraction
Those that don't remain blinded
The Lyte is there, they can't find it
One by one they fall in the darkness
And it's sad, to take part in this
But I'm hoping, that you just might
get together and Search 4 The Light
So if my LIGHT offends you, get yo ass some shades and Search 4 YOUR Light...
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