Dimpled Smile

What happened to my sistas
Where did they go
Who is this ho they gave me
Who is this brown bag girl
Prostituting herself to society
This is NOT my sista
This is not the bare breasted beauty
Long legged lady
Broad shouldered sculpture
Slender necked princess
What happened to her hair
Braids, locks, naps
What happened to her feet
Her smile
Her generosity, hospitality
When did her curves become currency
Did you get a good deal
On her magnificence
Those are not my sista’s eyes
Gone is the love
Gone is the joy
Gone is the knowledge of being
The best thing on Earth
What does she carry in that
Name brand purse
Is it her name
Or the name branded on her kin
How did she sink to
Even with a dog
Or a garden tool
Or a feathered creature
Of the most common kind
When did her womb
Become a place to grow wealth
Instead of seeds
A bargaining chip to
Call a dollar’s bluff
Haven’t you had enough
Where is my sista
Is she still in there somewhere
Wasn’t kidnapping enough
What ransom is left to give
Why is she a hostage
How long must she endure
Torture so severe
Has she not suffered enough
Can’t you see
She is the mother of creation
Without her it will fall
Even as the world crumbles around you
You hold her still
What wrong has she done
Did she not try to save you from yourself
Did she not suckle
Though you took her children
Did she not cook
Though you denied her bread
What treasure is there left
All there is to give
Is lost in her captivity
Caged bird may sing
But birds are meant to fly
Can you not see she will die
In captivity
Do you ignore the untamable spirit
Pacing behind her eyes
If you love her
Let her go
You can not own
What belongs to God
And she is the dimple
In His divine smile
Give my sista to me
Let me have her soul and pride
Her eyes, her hair
Her fashion flare
Her walk and talk
Her hands, her womb
Give her back
You can’t do nothing with her
She is beauteous
She is your mother
And mine too
Without her
What will we do
Save yourself
Let my sista go

by Empress Nzingha

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