“Mahogany,” Poetry By Morgan Lee

This new poetic work Mahogany was sent to Harlem World Magazine by reader Morgan Lee, a 16-year-old from Chicago, IL.,. Morgan says she, “…adores being who being Black.”

Read her latest work here:

Mahogany

I will name MY daughter Mahogany.

Because she’s going to be a DARK one…
But…I’m not upset. Why would I be?

Because she will grow up in a world where everything is telling her that she is the OPPOSITE of beautiful?

Because she will never believe her looks are of any value unless I SAY so?

Because I will have to muster up all the persuasiveness within in me to treasure her, because I am struggling to believe in her beauty myself???

No, I’m NOT upset.

That she will have to flip to the back pages of a magazine trying to find herself.

Or that she’ll feel compelled to go interracial so that her daughter will not have to fight like she had to.

So that her daughter won’t have a DOUBT in her mind.

Because while we take the underground railroad, her slim nose and fair skin will be her ticket to everything she’s ever wanted…

They want to have the big bottoms and the corn rows, but then want to slander us for it.

If you eat the fruit, you have to savior the tree.

And I will savior YOU, my daughter.

I will tell you to go run outside, and let your melanin roast in the sunlight because men love their toast crisp and brown.

Don’t worry if your barrettes fall out, because you don’t need anything extra to be beautiful.

If the rain starts to pour, let it clean you.

Let it rinse off everything anyone’s ever told you about your skin, and open your mouth so it can wash away what you don’t want to believe in your heart.

Because you ARE beautiful.

And NEVER let the world tell you otherwise.

What do you think?

Photo illustration is by Danny Tisdale’s Selfie series.