They told her she couldn’t do it
They told her she was too loud
Too opinionated
Too black
But she laughed and she said,
“Just wait. My day’s gonna come.”
She climbed on top of rooftops
And sang Whitney’s songs—
Her voice was like honey
But her words were raw fire
She held her fist high
And she marched like Martin
Her spirit was Malcolm’s,
But her courage was all her own
At night she would whisper Maya’s poems
To herself,
And in the morning she was Bessie Coleman,
Flying high.
They told her she was weak
They laughed when she told them
She had dreams
Now she writes her stories
Fearlessly
She pens her freedom in broad strokes,
And she is unapologetically black
They aren’t laughing now
Not when they’ve seen her
Dance like Michael,
And travel to the stars like Mae.
They aren’t laughing now that they see her standing
Firm in her beliefs like Rosa—
Not ready to move for anybody
Her smile is wide and it is her beacon
It led her here,
Far beyond where they told her she would go
She wears this smile with pride,
Her beautiful, black smile
Along with the big hair her momma gave her
And her wide, big girl hips
She’s the only one laughing now
Dancing on rooftops
And singing songs of redemption
That would’ve made Marley proud
🙂
Thank you Iqra
so beautiful
Thank you!