Don’t Let the Pain Be in Vain — A Reflection on the Black Identity

Don’t let the pain be in vain.

The Black identity has faced countless trials,

Moments that made us question our worth,

Our colour,

Our place in the world.

We were born in shades of beauty,

Yet told to hide our skin in shame.

We were reminded to stay proud,

To hold on to the joy that comes with being us.

Still, history tells of a time

When our value was misunderstood,

When admiration turned into oppression,

And our freedom was questioned.

Many left their homeland

Not because they wanted to,

But to seek peace, dignity,

And a future beyond hunger and fear.

We left to build a name for Africa...

To stand for our colour,

Our courage,

Our freedom.

But even far away,

The struggle often followed us.

So many were judged for nothing

But the tone of their skin.

Too many dreams were cut short,

And the world seemed not to feel the pain.

Here I sit,

Thinking about the Africa I love,

The people I come from,

The colour that defines me..

Wondering if the world will ever see

The beauty we’ve carried all along.

I wish our fatherland could be safer,

So we wouldn’t have to leave to survive,

So our stories wouldn’t end in sorrow,

And our return home wouldn’t be in silence.

Until then,

May our pain birth change,

And may the world see

The beauty we carry in our skin.

          ©️ HerMixedMuse