My frame of reference for the name stems all the way back to my youth and being darker and (I thought) less attractive than my two sisters. I had my own up-close-and-personal interpretion of the word black, and not always a positive one. (Read the Jan 2 post for my thoughts on that subject.)
"Different don't mean deficit, it just means different" (A quote from Rickie Clark, my former spouse and still good friend.) - Check out, my baby sister, Teresa, we call her T, and me on Christmas Eve at her house party. (She hates it when I introduce her as my baby sister. She will forever be, so I'll keep doing it...hehehe) We have opposing features, but I have come to appreciate our individual uniqueness rather than our physical differences.
The name - There was a young, africancentric sister who worked for a minority paper in town. I loved her look and her spirit - so natural and proud. Her byline was Blaqkofe. I thought it was a cool, unique name. The more I read and learned about my culture and hair, the more I recognized my own black beauty, the more the name seemed to fit me personally. I modified it and made it mine. Through years of personal growth, reading, learning and living, the negative "black" association of my youth has evolved into a more conscious and positive woman who embraces her blackness in every respect from her naturally kinky hair, to her full lips,hershey chocolate skin to her own proud byline... Blaqkofi. I've always been black, now I'm Blaq and proud.
Why did you make me Black, Lord?
Lord why did you make me Black?
Why did you make me someone the world would hold back?
Black is the color of dirty clothes, of grimy hands and feet.
Black is the color of darkness, of tired beaten streets.
Why did you give me thick lips, a broad nose and kinky hair?
Why did you create someone who receives the hated stare?
God Replies
Why did I make you Black? Why did I make you Black?
I made you the color of coal from which beautiful diamonds are formed.
I made you in the color of oil, the black gold that keeps people warm.
All colors of the heavenly rainbow can be found throughout every nation.
When all these colors are blended, you become my greatest creation!
Your hair is the texture of lamb's wool, such a beautiful creature is he.
I am the shepherd who watches them, I will always watch over thee.
The reflection you see in the mirror, that image that looks back,
that is Mine!
So get off your knees, look in the mirror and tell me what you see?
I didn't make you in the image of darkness,
I made you in the image of Me!
Excerpts from "Why Black"
RuNett Nia Ebo, Poet
4 comments:
If I ever finally make it to Dallas, I will bring my Sarah Vaughan CDs with me. In the meantime, here are the lyrics of her Black Coffee:
1949 Sarah Vaughan, Black Coffee
I'm feelin' mighty lonesome, haven't slept a wink;
I walk the floor from nine to four, in between I drink
Black coffee - love's a hand-me-down brew.
I'll never know a Sunday in this weekday room.
I'm talkin to the shadow one o'clock till four,
And Lord, how slow the moments go and all I do is pour
Black coffee since the blues caught my eye;
I'm hangin' out on Monday my Sunday dreams to dry.
(Bridge)
Now man is born to come a-lovin',
And a woman's born to weep and fret
To stay at home and tend her oven
And down her past regrets in coffee and cigarettes.
I'm moonin' all the mornin', moanin' all the night
And in between it's nicotine and not much heart to fight.
Black coffee - feelin' low as the ground.
It's drivin' me crazy, this waitin' for my baby
'Til he come around, 'til he come around.
---
See why I was so confused??
Understood, we can only reference what we know. I'll have the wine ready when you arrive with your Sarah Vaughan cd's...can't wait!
The author is RuNett Nia Ebo.
Thank you Nubia!
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