Brittany: I Am Unheard

By Brittany Langford
September 17, 2002

Now,
if I were to speak my mind
as the intelligent woman that I am,
no one would understand.
If I were to say,
“Yo, what’s up? Ain’t he Jo?”
everyone would know
that I have spoken.

I would wrap my child
in the American flag
because I am and she will be
an American.

Don’t hate me because
I am who I am.

I am unique.
I am strong, beautiful, powerful.
I am the Black Beautiful
Nubian Princess.

I consider myself unique
because I can hear the silence;
I can feel the untouchable;
I can see the unseen.

If I were to say that
to a person in the street,
they would take a long,
weird glance in my eyes…

as if they were lost
in their own world
not hearing me when I said
I make my own weather.

I chose to make it rain or sunny
Every day I can make that decision
because I am always unheard.