Sisi Why: POEM

17 November 2010 - 14:34 By Fikile Gotha
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This poem was sent in by Fikile Gotha from Cape Town.

face knots in agony as i pull yet another knot from my bush

you'd swear every strand had a head of its own

conspiring to tangle my nerves in its entanglement

but still it keeps me black



so please mama don't let me slip into whiteness

don't tame my blackness

relax, i don't need relaxer to straighten my hair

The Congolese hairdresser shakes her head in exasperation

"sisi why is your hair like this?"

The hot iron burns my ears, the ladies give me looks of disdain

still it keeps me smiling

keeps me black

The knots are gone, the strands are long

afro is glossy, got them white girls wishing they were a little kinky

i smile as my hand slides through my strands

it keeps me black



the cock crows and i groan

the afro is gone and the kink is back

"sisi why is your hair like this?"

It’s the daily grind, keeps me black

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