Naturally Misunderstood

Photo by Flow Clark

You wouldn't understand if I told you,

About how it gets hard to comb through;

Uncontrollable kinks, curls, and coils,

That sometimes need more than water and oils;

Spending hundreds to keep it controlled,

Using products to make the style hold;

Trying to accept it like we were told,

But corporate conditions won’t let us be bold;

They would rather see us in silky strands,

So, I'm telling you, you wouldn't understand;

Breaking combs, and popping rubber bands,

Or when your hair doesn't go as planned;

Every strand dancing to its own drum,

And it's unpredictable, the outcome;

When you try to style it something new,

Hoping your curls are like corkscrews;

And then your whole mood is blue,

Because your new 'do didn't pull through;

So, you wouldn't understand what I'm saying,

And it's not because you’re Caucasian,

Or Asian or Malaysian, so we won’t persuade

You to understand why we keep our hair in braids;

We were invaded, raided, and traded,

Then demanded we keep our hair downgraded;

I'm impatiently waiting for the day,

We can wear our hair any damn way;

A fade, some braids, curly or straight,

Without feeling attacked right out the gate;

We set the trends because our hair holds weight,

It fascinates so much that others emulate and duplicate;

And we cooperate until they dominate and captivate,

And formulate and conjugate how to profit off what we create;

So, no, you wouldn't understand what we go through,

Forced to straighten our hair when we don't want to;

Because according to the employee handbook,

Our natural hairstyles are forbidden looks;

And it’s such a shame,

That laws must be created to protect our mane;

Over something we naturally create!

Name another race fighting this fight… I’ll wait;

Killing our self-esteem in every way,

When all we want is to have a good hair day!

But you wouldn’t understand,

Wearing wigs to cover the real strands;

Because we know that with our natural ‘do,

We won’t get a call back after that job interview;

We won’t be respected,

Just rejected all because of our tresses;

Everyone else, disconnected and unaffected,

Until they make our culture trendy and accepted;

But their hair could never perform so magically,

Their hair doesn’t defy gravity;

No ability to change ever so drastically,

So, I can understand why they’re mad at me;

Because black hair is in high demand,

And anything but bland;

Doing everything your hair CAN’T,

But I wouldn't expect you to understand.