Unbound

To say things just how I want to say them

not to be rude, but to speak

sans prefixed and suffixed apologies

To walk freely at night

wearing a short skirt

and my thunder thighs knowing they are safe

To be able to say that

I don’t feel like letting anyone crunch my afro in their palms today

without the fear of sounding like

the black girl always starting things

To know that even though

you can tell I just cried in the bathroom

my competency as a professional isn’t questioned

nor are the numbers of red veins in my eyes

being correlated to my womanhood

To accept compliments wholeheartedly

To give compliments wholeheartedly

To give myself a pat on the back

when I’ve met my deadlines

with the best of my efforts

To be accepting of the fact that

I will face some of ‘those’ battles my whole life

but that doesn’t mean my life won’t be

fun, faithful in the midst of fear

and fenomenal, even if on a small scale

To be worthy of the name given me at birth.

OR ALL THIS CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE SENTENCE:

To be fully possessed by the spirit of a dancing Mary J. Blige: