FATHERS

My Dear Black Fathers,

Whishing this was homage to all my black Fathers out there…
Still I write to speak from the hearts of the many children you’ve thoughtlessly and carelessly fathered.

I’m told to be proud:
Proud of where I’m from
Proud of who I am
Proud of my ancestry
Proud of my history
Proud of the legacies left for me

But how can I be?
When countless of our black men seem to have missed the message & fallen into the same trap?
The trap set for them by those whom in an effort to rob them of their dignity, for fear they just might have what it takes to make things happen by tricking them into infancy

SO I ASK

… How can I be proud?
Proud of a legacy left behind by men who throughout history fell into the traps of others who dared call my Grand-Father, my Father, my uncles “BOY”?
Instantly removing the
The title of
FATHER

From our culture’s lineage and upbringings.

HOW CLEVER!

FATHER….

Hmm Father
That word Father…
Isn’t the word Father the very essence of leader of the family?
A word which must be earned to allow you the rights to have us call you “DADDY”
Hmm! isn’t it ironic though…
That those accused of having treated us as 2nd class citizens & children got the message loud and clear?
Yet our Fathers…
Our Fathers who’s strong, vast and rich cultural backgrounds incite such respect of the word lost this same message in translation at the core of their essence?
And with such childish behavior how dare you demand my respect?

How dare you tell my siblings, my child or I that we owe you any kind of respect when you turned around and left?
How dare you ask for forgiveness when you chose to remain M.I.A on each and every one of my most precious & vulnerable moments?
How dare you ask for a 2nd and 3rd chance when you never thought I was worth 1?
How dare you claim to be a Father, my Father if you never once acted as such?

How can you expect my brothers to know what a Father is?
If you, yourself never grew up and still act like a “BOY”?

You were my hero once; you know. But tell me this:

How Am I supposed to look up to a man who all my life ran from responsibility?

But no worries…..
For I’ll teach my son to be a man
I’ll teach him to be the Dad I never had
I’ll teach him to earn the crown for his Queen
I’ll teach him all these things so that one day
He too can teach them to his sons so they in turn can know that they are princes amongst men.

So they too can lead their families as Kings
No worries

“DADDY”

We the children of the Fatherless generation vow to breach the cycle
This cycle of shameful history
And create a proud legacy
Here I thought we were the Black Panther’s descendents

FATHER HUH?

A DEDICATION TO ALL FATHERLESS CHILDREN