Author Information
Ain't I Black by Elliott J. Curry
“Ain’t I Black”
by
Elliott Justin Curry
Today, I want to challenge the questioning of a fact
My character and ethnic orientation is often under attack
They question the way I carry myself, in particular the way I act
To clarify, folks say the way I act is white…not black.
But when I look in the mirror, my complexion still in tact
I ask the question….”Aint I black”
Blame me because my verbs agree with my nouns
Criticize me because of the education that I have found
Get jealous cause I am destined, and bound
While you are busy hating, you never get off the ground
Yes, I am proud of me and I love the way my voice sounds
Challenge what you want, and make a mountain out of a mound
You can even dance around the fact but….”Aint I Black”
Okay speaking hypothetically
If I look at my brothers pathetically
If I think we need attention medically
I don’t think we get it right educationally
Should I handle that lackadaisically,
If you missed it that means lazily
Some folks are content and say just let it be
But because I demand change, drastically
I can because its my own, and I refuse to go passively
Not lacking melanin, but I still think tactically
Let me phrase it brashly
“Aint I black”
My people need something like a cultural injection
A reminder of what our forefathers endured for our generation’s protection
Because I feel this way, some say I lack affection
Sometimes I’ll chooses a classical selection
Does that mandate my racial direction?
I am not an agent and this requires no detection
Ain’t I black
Both black and white agree that I act like the latter
This used to bother me and it used to matter
Now I just laugh at the foolish chatter
Keep on talking, while my pockets get fatter
Instead of congratulate, my brothers would rather
Question who I am, make assumptions that make me madder
Than a squirrel without nuts to gather
With all of this being stated, nothing else to be debated
Its been mandated….
Aint I black
No I don’t need your affirmative action
I won’t give you a reason to say I got it because of this reaction
No, I worked hard to reach this level of satisfaction
I wont allow you to use simple arithmetic like subtraction
To take away what I have created, me, the main attraction
I create my own, and I am not alone I have a faction
Don’t be surprised because I say this loud with passion
But…”Aint I black”
I have learned that the point of my existence
Is to challenge stereotypical views with persistence
While my own and whites alike may meet me with resistance
I keep one thing in tact
Ain’t I Black
When its all said and done,
When that fat bitch has sung her last song,
It’s just me....
Me
It’s Just me gazing in a pond to see my reflection
I scratch my flaring nostrils to get some satisfaction
I rub my wool like hair, just to check, and I like the reaction
I am never surprised of my glowing chocolate complexion
This alone reiterates the fact
“Aint I Black”
