In My Skin

by Lynnesha Baggs

 

In my skin

There are many struggles,

Where many of us travel in huge bundles,

Where people discriminate,

And judge books by their covers.

 

In My Skin

People are sarcastic,

Where people can ask, where are you?

And you reply,

In My Skin—

When I jump out, you jump in.

 

But what people don’t know about being,

In My Skin

Is that we have come a long way,

Always pushing forward day by day,

Never say no to what the Master say.

 

In My Skin

It was not to learn,

It was to pick cotton,

While they watched us burn.

 

In My Skin

We worked dusk to dawn,

Never dare to step on Master’s lawn,

We would even get beat, just if we yawned.

 

In My Skin

There were many tears,

Only because we were afraid of the fears,

Because we all wanted to someday be pioneers.

 

Yet……

In My Skin

We fought for many years

Then came along MLK

He led us here.