Angela Abalo

LET ME BE ME

This is a poem about identity and how we should not let anyone's words define who we are meant to be.

Let me be me! These words echo through my soul.

I am tired of fighting, trying to fit into a mold.

Trying to fit in a shoe size,

but unlike Cinderella, the glass slipper is not always the right size.

Just let me be me! Why would you want to make me feel like I do not belong just because I am me?

I am a Black woman in a society that constantly tries to break me.

Telling me that my skin is too dark and my hair is too kinky.

Why would my difference be a weakness,

Yet in the difference lies a princess, with a glorious mess.

A mess that needs to be embraced because from this mess,

A new dawn is witnessed.

From the beauty that lies within our culture.

To the stories of those who came before us and showed us that our lives matter,

Maya Angelou, who taught us to rise and shine,

and Obama who proved that change is possible and divine,

Let me be me, with all my unique differences,

With all my quirks, flaws, and unique finesse.

With my skin as black as night, that shines like the diamond in under the light,

I am not just the color of my skin so why the fright?

My melanin is a work of art,

A masterpiece that radiates brilliance and never falls apart,

I have a voice that sets me apart,

A royal symphony of strength and heart.

Let me dance to the beats of the drums we play,

From the African plains to the streets of LA,

Our rhythms are part of our DNA,

A testament to the vibrance of our ways.

Just let me be me! For who else could be?

I won't let society decide my fate or what is expected of me,

For we are descendants of kings and queens, to say the least,

Wear your crown, be proud

Coz you are rare and pure,

Out of this world, and that's for sure.