Don't Touch My Hairby: Rage Almighty Poem by Jay Ward

So Im in Starbucks buying this expensive stupid coffee
And this white girl is staring at me with this stupid grin on her stupid face
and i knew what she wanted
I knew exactly what was gonna happen next
She maneuvered that hole on the bottom of her face
To ask me
Can i touch your hair
Now keep in mind
She was already touching my hair
While she asking me if she could touch said hair
Then she was like
Oh my goodness! That doesn't feel dry at all!
And Im like no my hair isn't dry! Or unkempt! And contrary
To your belief it smells amazing!
Cause black folk have hair of wool
Skin of bronze
Eyes like fire and flame
There are reasons you cant touch my hair
Because
I am not a pet or a petting zoo
I did not RSVP to your curiosity
Your hands are dirty
My history begins in my roots
I let my culture drink my crown when the ends of my lineage rest on my shoulders
They are stranded stories, So no you cant manhandle my mothers narrative
These brass feet will sparta kick you in the chest
If you ever touch my godliness without my permission
Im protective of my temple
Im tired of people stealing my culture
So i locked my hair so you cant get inside of it
You Cant touch my hair
Im still cleaning your fingerprints off of it
See this is don't touch my hair if you don't know each strand by name this is
Assata, this is Nigeria, this is Harriet, this is henrieta, this is marley, this is kendrick, this is cole, this is blue ivy, this is ghana, this is my sista, this my auntie, This is not just hair This is heritage A representation of who we are, Curls so sharp they can cut your throat
There is a crescent continent from your spine to the top of your scalp so wear your hair, like a sycamore fig, like the banks of the middle passage don't forget where you came from, don't forget the woman who cut who pick who weave the women who sleep in the salon like…
in the same spot for hours just
to get they hair right for themselves and
Dont touch me with your backhanded complements
I, is not your sideshow so no cruella de vil, you cant touch my hair