Black Like Me, White Like You

Before you read my poem, I just want to say a few things that I always think about!

I always wonder on social media(especially on twitter) I notice that black people always say stuff like

“Black Men, I love y’all. Y’all are so strong. I appreciate y’all!”

“Black women……..we are the shit and I love y’all fine asses too”

“It’s very motivating to see young black people making moves and being successful”

Now I am a black man and I want black people to do well and exceed. In all honesty, I want every race to succeed. Now I notice black people on social media compliment each other and express how beautiful black people are and that’s great but in reality, how come I don’t see this same support in real life? Doesn’t it feel like black people compete with each other instead of trying to help each other in real life? Besides social media, what are some ways that black people can support each other in real life? Besides boxing and dancing, do you feel like black are a step behind every other race in this world? Let’s say in the google search bar, you typed in “Men” and then you select the images tab, now do you see more white men faces or black men faces? Why do we celebrate black history during the month of February? Instead of celebrating black history during February, why can’t history be history and we celebrate black and white people from the past together every month all year round? Why are we taught in elementary schools that Christopher Columbus discovered America? How can white people be more supportive against black people and fight with us against racism so black people can achieve more?

Another scenario I wanna make is, lets say you take the average young black man about in his twenties. His best friend is a white man name “Tom”. They been friends for years. One day, Tom seems him in the street and tries to give him a hug and says to the black man “Wassup my nigga”. Now how do you think the average black man would respond?

Now after you answer that question, let’s say Tom was black, hell lets say Tom was black and the young black man Tom only knew each other for a few months and Toms says “Wassup my nigga” now how do you the the average black man would respond? After you answer this question, is your answer different from the answer you provided for the previous question?

Imagine you reverse the color of your skin

and your now among a different trend.

To experience a new life, a new difference.

To see what it’s like to have parents

that are complete opposites of what your use to.

Is their really a difference between black and white people?

Based on declaration of Independence, are all men created equal?

Let’s say for a week, I switched lives with a white guy and see things

through his eyes and he see things through mine.

What would I see?

I vision a difference.

I now come from a different birth place, different space.

See different people, see different faces.

I see the powerful unity between I and my siblings

and we have the same parents.

Coworkers and their friendly persona without much drama.

It’s definitely an honor to dressing a fancy suit

with my own office

Through the help with my parents and thought out choices,

my career will take me to long places.

Good grades in high school and college.

Even though I’m friendly with everybody,

I refused to get involved with ignorance so

I never got accustomed to black faces.

I kept my distance.

Even with the help of Martin Luther King,

I never comprehended the ignorance and violence

towards one another the blacks demonstrated.

Their race as a whole is devastating.

This is what I see in a white man dream.

But what does white man see in me in his dream?

He visions a difference.

Now he comes from a different birth place.

Now dwell in a different space.

See different people, different faces.

Forced to endure betrayal of his siblings

and live under a roof of a single parent.

Co-worker act friendly in front of each other faces

but deep down really jealous of each other.

Workers are being abused by supervisors

and the poor management and constant drama.

It’s a shame to work at a place where he only make

a dollar above minimum wage.

Even though he had decent grades in college,

yet still struggling to reach high places.

He learned in this world

it’s not what you know,

it’s who you know with the right color face.

He is constantly involved in ignorance and drama,

but really just wanna be friendly with everybody.

Hard to find friends of his kind, so he looks to find

friends of the kind of mine.

The black people, he keeps his distance,

unfortunately the white people resist him.

Plus his own kind think he is a sellout.

He realize his race as a whole is devastating.