Original Post Date
2001-06-18 11:00 PM
Original Body
pstrongBy Drek/strong/p
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pby Drek/p
pI wake up in the morning as I run my fingersbr /
br /through my nappy hair, I remember the awkward glancebr /
that thebr /
br /guy behind the counter gave me./p
pI open my eyes to another day where my being will be scrutinized./p
pas I lace my Timbos and slide on my baggy jeans,br /
br /I grab my walkman portfolio and I head off to work.br /
br /I think about mybr /
appearance as I listen to THE ROOTSbr /
br /on the bus ride, and by the time "You Got Me” comes thru,br /
br /I've forgotten the awkward glances. /p
pI say “what's up” to my coworkers I head upstairs br /and I study my hands as the lady clutches her purse.br /
/pPMy menacing Brown hands/p
p. while I don't know what she's thinking,br /
br /I can't help but wonder what the guysbr /
br /that shadow me when I'm br /in storesbr /
br /downtown think./p
pI wonder how my relatives were seenbr /
br /before they fell victim at Moore's Ford.br /
br /I wonder if they felt the need to validatebr /
br /their humanity or intelligence./p
pby the time I Step Into the Realm comes on,br /
br /I could care less what people thinkbr /
br /about my skin, hair, or dress I begin constructingbr /
br /my own definition of Drek./p
pI paint with the shades of my fore bearersbr /
br / rest my brush on a palette of colors visiblebr /
br /to all./p
pand I frame this image in raw truth /p/td/tr/td/tr/table/div/p