White And Black And... Poem by Tamell Bailey

White and Black and…Who are we afraid of?
Black and White and…What are we made of?

I’m living my life as a black man in America,
It’s supposed to be strife, they told me to be scared of the-
White man and girl, black woman with curls.
They just hatin’ and fakin’, trying to end my world.
But I know they were wrong, I fear no one but GOD
Is it really my appearance that puts fear in your heart?

I know the truth about society and all of the boxes
That they try to put us in, tone of my skin means I’m nonsense.
“You can’t be fat and happy; weight will kill soon enough”
I never knew my daddy, that’s why food was my crutch.

White and Black and…Who are we afraid of?
Black and White and…What are we made of?

They want us to have a chip, a bag of Lay’s on our shoulders
She wants me just to use her for sex over and over.
He don’t want us in his club, because we might be trouble
He thinks that I am a thug, only for my skin color
She’s afraid of G.D., but it’s just 2 words
It’s more about your intentions than if GOD DAMN was heard
Should you be my enemy? Am I supposed to be mad?
Will the Lord forgive me for evil thoughts that I’ve had?

White and Black and…Who are we afraid of?
Black and White and…What are we made of?

I say F*** society, I’ll control myself
I say F*** notoriety, reputation won't change my health
Mentally I am strong; my mind’s tempered like steel
Physically I’m a beast, because you think that I will
Kill, hurt, or rob, naw YOU got it wrong,
I say violence solves nothing, and we should stop casting stones
Instead have a discussion, stop wasting time for nothing
Bailey’s the truth and not bluffin’, if I’ve offended you F*** it!