My Black Is Beautiful Poem by Craig Mize

My black is beautiful no matter the shade
Strong and powerful that's how we were raised.
But divided in our mind, in a nation that we were enslaved.
Segregated by our tint like night and day.
Our men were whipped and caged,
While our women were belittled and raped
And another's child they were forced to raise.
Still we smile and hide away our tears,
We sang spirituals to run away our fears.
Oh how much we had to endure over the years.

They called us ugly and looked at was with disgust,
Said that we weren't beautiful and now it's them for who we lust.
Put blinders on our eyes so that the world we couldn't see.
Told us to go fight in the army,
But in our own country we can't be all that we can be.
Still we survive, still we strive, and one day everyone will see,
Just how powerful we were meant to be.
Oh how far we have come over the years.
We smiled through many tears, prayed through many fears.
Now the world we can finally see.
And although America you haven't fully accepted me.
Our blinders are finally off and now clearly we can see,
Just how beautiful our black is suppose to be.