Higher Education Poem by Oni Lasana

I KNOW YOU SEEK TRUTH
SO CONTINUE TO READ
WOMAN DID MORE THAN LAY UP & BREED
I SPEAK OF HER STORY
A PRIVILEDGED FEW
I FOUND A NEW ME
SINCE I DISCOVERED OLD YOU
A COOK, A MAID, WHATEVER SURVIVING I MUST DO
I WAS ALL THAT
&
A LADY TOO.

HIS STORY WAS TOO SHALLOW
TO CALL ME BY MY NAME
I WAS NURSEMAID TO ABLE & CAIN
I LED MOSES WHEN HE WAS TWO
YES, I WAS CHOSEN, ONE OF THE FEW
WOMAN OF NATURE & MOTHER OF YOU
I WAS ALL THAT
&
BLESSED TOO

I WHISPERED SECRETS TO CLEO, NZINGHA
CONCUBINES OF SHEBA
WHEN BOY TUT DREW ILL
I CALMED HIS FEVER
THEY RECORDED NO GAINS, ONLY PAIN & LOST
WEEPING FOR MY BROTHER, UNDER HIS CROSS
NO ONE DARES SPEAKS OF MY LOVE...SO TRUE
OR CALLS ME THEIR SISTER
FOR ALL THAT I DO
CALLING ME A HOE, A WENCH & A SHREW
WELL I WAS ALL THAT
&
QUEEN MOTHER TOO.

(C) 1996 A Soul Sister From Cool World Valley