You may color me mocha before pleasantries are said
At first conversation’s end you will thereafter color me read
Well read, well bred, well-traveled—Each year a different nation
No Miseducation here. No intellectual intimidation.
“If you want to keep something from a black person, write it in a book~”
Nah, my father wasn’t having it- desk near the rear I never took,
He made sure it wasn’t me who the teacher would overlook
He made my lunch each school day before sending me on my way
Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff between two slices of Wonder Bread,
Humming promises of my magenta destiny once I am colored read
When I skipped over word monsters- too big, too scary to worry about
He’d say, “I pay your teacher’s salary. Make her earn it. Sound it out!”
“Daddy what’s a Holocaust? Why didn’t those kids like camp?”
“Baby look it up. We weren’t the only ones branded with hatred’s stamp.”
He told me about pained hands picking cotton from sunrise to sunset
“Daddy what do you mean 20 lashes for trying to learn the alphabet?”
He taught me our history which wraps my present—My gift tied with the
Elder’s dreams, in colors too bold to be sold
Thank you for the sacrifices, making it easier for me to reach my goals-
The ones that placed me on tiptoes reaching high to color gold
Color me cobalt as I enjoy the word art of Faulkner-Ellison-Giovanni-Hughes
Their books filled with prose, splashed with shades of the blues
Religion, sci-fi, mysteries, contemporary romance-
Words complimenting each other like the invitation before the dance
Color me a chameleon- from Aboriginal culture to herbal remedies
Entomology? Love it. Not a problem…puh’leeze
Been there, read that- know all about The Secret Life of Bees
Oh, you think that I’m articulate. Did you assume that I would not be?
The first man to love me taught me that through knowledge I’ll stay free
With big fingers encasing little ones, he made sure I could discern:
“All that really matters in life is who you love & what you learn~”
“Daddy, loving you is easy, loving God keeps my spirit fed, and yes,
Learning is my lifelong joy because I’m Colored Read”
~ Angela Johnson
