Black Pearls

Cornrows
Dreadlocks
Shea Butter
Middle part
Olive oil
Red soil
The beauty of turmoil.
Escape routes
and hot combs,
Innovations of my people.

Soul music,
Feel good rhythm and blues,
Heartfelt gospels,
Crying out to a God we can’t see,
Faithfully,
We press on
Like how we press the blackness out of our ethnic strands.
Rubber bands
Snap in our hands,
Punishment for trying to tame the beauty we have.

Strong mothers rise from the Nile River
To produce strong girls
Dark pearls
Cornrows
Dreadlocks
Shea butter
Middle part
Olive oil
Red soil
Beauty of turmoil.