April is National Poetry Month!

Hey Y’all,

It is the first of April which means it is April Fool’s Day but it also marks the start of National Poetry Month!

Fashion is one of my passions but writing is my first true love. Just as we express ourselves through our hair, nails and clothes, writing has always been my outlet. I am excited to be sharing my poetry with you all as well as other poetry that I adore.

This piece I wrote a few months back is called Sideway stares, Head cocks and Eye Rolls.

I was on the train one day and this girl was staring at me. Not a friendly stare either. Shorty was seriously grilling me! Naturally, I got on the defense but I pretended that I didn’t notice her. Finally she says, the reason she was staring was because she liked my shoes. I politely thanked her and went on minding my business. Then she continued on that I was looking at her like she was crazy. What! I thought to myself. She was the one staring at me crazy so can she really blame me for being a bit taken a back? What kind of compliment was this? Then suddenly it hit me. We don’t know how to genuinely compliment one another. That’s probably why most of the time we don’t.

Black women put up with a lot of stuff. We get criticized for our hair, wearing weaves. Because we don’t put up with just any bull mess, we get criticized for having an attitude. We get attacked so much we don’t even feel comfortable in our own skin. We catch so much on the daily that we just put up this wall, this hard exterior.

We don’t know how to compliment one another or give credit where it’s due and I think part of that is because of how society sees us. We don’t love ourselves because the world we come from isn’t always so loving towards us. Drake said it best, “M’effers never loved us! Remember?!”

Now when I come across a female that gives me the eye, I try not to take offense. Maybe she’s never been complimented so she’s knows not how to give or receive one. She’s just a product of her environment. So anyway, here’s my piece! Enjoy!

Yours,

The College Grad

———-

Sideway stares, Head cocks & Eye rolls