Apology Poem by Adrienne Clark Strachn

Women, an apology is needed
yes, from the men in society
we work hard, just to obtain the beauty
that you men claim to want
yes it is in all the magazines,
telling us what you want,
how to keep our men happy
maybe we are comfortable just the way we are,
why do you want to change us
when you meet us,
you like the way we are!
the apology just does not come from men of color
it will be from every man out there
see, if we like our puddy bodies, .
our nappy hair, our afro, our stringy hair
if we do not feel like wearing weaves or wigs
or coloring our hair,
if we chose to not put on fingernail polish
wear comfortable shoes, not heels, that hurt our feet
and if we do not feel like putting on perfume
but just wear oils,
if we don't want to wear gel, push up bra's
thongs or jeans that fall off our butts
why do you label us, look down at us.
tell me the media doesn't frown at us too
maybe we like the skin we're in
who needs to be corrected anyway
Musiq, Common, tell us we are beautiful
natural woman, a woman who can be your friend
as well as lover
Jill Scott, Floetry, India Arie,
show us how beautiful we are
in the skin we are in
with our natural short hair, gap in our teeth, big mother earth
breast, or no chest at all
in the songs they sing.
do you listen to the words to the songs
if we have a stomach, we don't need it stapled,
we just need to be healthy. eat better food
we are sexy too
we need an apology
we can't let you destroy what we really are
who we want to be
we haven't let ourselves go
we possess the true beauty on the earth
we are not afraid to be ourselves,
whether we are made up or not
made up or not.
we are proud of who we are
Please! an apology is needed