What Ever Happened to Black Love?

I can remember the time, I can see it, the love we shared
Pickin' up that cotton together, chained together, bound in true holiness together,
On our hands and knees we were on the ground praying to GOD together
Even looking in your eyes while we were hung together
It was strong
It was based off the struggles we've dealt with
It was based off the honor we gave
It was true, it was real, it was down to earth, and it was deep
Couldn't any man break that bond- It was tight and it was right

What ever happened to Black Love?
When I stand by your side, when the world is trying to destroy you undercover
I am your best friend and I am your lover
When I give birth to your children, so that they may represent who you stand for as Black Man and who I stand for as a Black Woman, and have meaning on this earth
So I may know you are down for me, and that I am down for you all the way
My Black beauty is what you are attracted to and love
You are my Black King and I am your Black Queen,
So let’s go raise our Black prince and princess into the same,
Baby we ain’t got no shame in this Black love game

What ever happened to Black Love?
It’s like, non-existent sometimes, it’s like scarce, it’s like, he just my baby daddy or, she just my baby mama,
Its like, you embarrassed to tell your boys you in love with this Black woman, you'd rather say, she just my friend, nothing more.
You telling everybody, even your own mind that you don't want nothing more from that Black woman
But ain’t that kind of strange, when all she will do is love you and use her own strength to pick you up, when she see you slippin' and expect nothing less from you
She will stand by your side till death,
And you don't want that?

Black man why you embarrassed or scared to be in Love?
Why? You think being a real man doesn’t involve being in love or showing your love?
You say you don’t have time, and just want to scatter around your manhood?
Sounds sort of unsafe, not to mention it can’t really bring you true happiness.
Do you even love Black women? I mean do you really?
Or maybe you see my Black face, and have misconceptions mixed in with your made up annotations that Black women are this or that, mama dramas, and round about attitudes

What ever happen to Black Love?
When the respect that is lost and thrown out the window for this Black woman or Black man
When the prejudging of a Black Man is not only being degraded by the White Man, but also by his own Black sister too
And the Black Man is saying: Black Woman don’t hate on me, when I already got the White man and sometimes the other Black men hating on me too
And Black Women, he’s absolutely right

What ever happen to Black Love?
Love sees no color; I would have to agree with that
But it’s not stupid either, and knows color exist, Love feels it
And when love is hating its own and treating it as though something else is better,
Cause you'd rather be with Heather
Or maybe Ms. Ramirez, cause you think she’s the fairest
No, Brotha', there’s a problem, solve it!
Cause I see you looking at Shaniqua with doubt
Black Man, what’s that all about?

I love my Blackness, I love these big hips and round assets, and I love the thickness of my hair, and all of the styles that I can work with and put it in. And I love the deep brown amber tone of my skin; because nobody else got all these beautiful characteristics, not like me. Don’t you see?
GOD pictured us, and then made us and said, “Black women, I’m going to make you beautiful, Black and unique.
Cause brotha’, why you tryin' to play me, when she over there tryin' to be just like me.

What happened to Black Love?
Because you don't even like who you are,
So now you trying to change me, rearrange me, and than exchange me
My sisters and brothers,
Let’s continue to make that love grow
Spreading our Black love out is OK, But let’s also remember our own as well

Let’s keep it intact, so there won't ever be a question in history as to:
What Ever Happened to Black Love?

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Bits and pieces have been taken from the spoken word piece entitled, What Ever Happened to Black Love by Tinisha Nicole Johnson. To read this in it's entirety visit the authors website: http://www.tinishanicolejohnson.com/ Click on Poetry and choose the poem entited What Ever Happened to Black Love