Black Matters by Yvonne Marie
I am unapologetically Black
For some
This very sentiment is a threat
But why can't I be Christian AND woman AND
BLACK...why are you so uncomfortable with that?
Why are you fine with the others but Black you can't accept
Maybe the problem lies in the fact
That you who take offense are
not included in
Black
Or perhaps
You were raised to believe
"color doesn't matter”
Only Love
But the reality is that Black matters
Because
It resides in the person thereof
So if you can’t love me AND Black
Then Love has a problem with that
You see Black is intangible and non-negotiable
And can only be felt
Deep in the heart of the person in which it is held
We all know it's skin but what you don't seem to understand
Is that it's my experience my tragedy my joy my motherland
It matters
Rejection of Black is seen from the hatred where fear has arose
But objections can also be found especially in those
Who say “I love you
But Black should be disposed.”
Or maybe you’re one of those
Who appropriate Black
In your love for Black's music and your love for Black's clothes
And your love for Black's hair and your love for Black's glow
You may love Black yet still reject me
But there is a resilience in Black that you don’t see
No matter how much it's been tried
It never shrinks back
It matters
So you can't just love Black
When it is convenient for you
And if you love me
You must love my Black too
Yvonne Marie, M.Ed. is the author of Kill the Busy Save the Bee: What It Really Means to Be Still and Know and Write For Christ Sake: A Guide to Kick-Start Your Book Journey for Jesus. She is the owner of Your Book Journey Consulting, LLC, a thriving business on a mission to help writers, speakers, ministry leaders, and business owners write and publish books. With a master’s degree in education and over two decades of teaching and ministry experience, she has developed the ability to effectively educate, motivate, and inspire others through her gifts of writing, speaking, and teaching. Yvonne Marie is married to Jonathan, owner of I-Witness Photography, LLC, and they have two sons. You can find her at yvonnemariespeaks.com.
The artwork displayed below is entitled Freckled Flower by Yvonne Marie.
Black Matters