"A Letter to Black Parents"

Dear Black Parents:

As a blackwoman educator, I just wanted to take the time before this year is out to say THANK YOU for being the truth and caring about our youth's health & welfare and academic achievement in 2008...

Thank you for sending your sons and daughters to school with their faces washed and clean so that they were not arriving at classroom doors in the morning with a ring of slobber dried around their mouths and crusts of sleep caked in the corners of their eyes. Thank you for cleaning ears and clipping fingernails and if need be washing their little tails yourself.

Thank you for making sure your child's hair was always washed, combed & brushed, shaped up, freshly faded & or cornrowed / braided, oiled, pressed, and not relaxed too soon. Thank you for seeing to it that there were no knots or lint and that your children were not sent to school unkempt from your doorstep.

Thank for not having overslept. Period.

And Thank you for changing our young sister's beads, ballies, and berets to match their dresses and cute new outfits-- putting belts, shoes, ties and crisp clean shirts TUCKED IN on our young brothers for Picture Day.

Thank you for coming straight from work to mostly every play, concert and recital with a sense of entitlement because you are so proud of your child up there!

Thank you for helping them with HW, projects, test practices reviews and prep.

Thank you for making sure that your sons and daughters had clean uniforms and thoroughly washed under their arms and applied the appropriate amount of 'good brand' deodorant, not whatever was on sale "because oh, s/he's just a child." ..???.. NO. Thank you for knowing that 10, 11, 12 year old and older young brothers and sisters are going through puberty and smell like grown men and women after high energy activities during recess. And perhaps just sitting still. Yes.

Thank you for your support, not having an attitude and being rude during conferences or afterschool when I'm tired and my work day is done. Thank you for having had sense enough to know that I am NOT the one. You will not come to me loud and curse me out because you can't understand why your child was disciplined. Thank you for listening to my reasons why, because between you and me we both know I could have referred your child to the drugged dead zone.. also known as Special Ed. Thank you for hearing and understanding what I've said, not defending inappropriate behavior, knowing you know I love your child.

Thank you showing up, going on trips, sending PLATES, NAPKINS and the CUTTING KNIFE with the cake.

Thank you for knowing how to bake! Those bake sale cupcakes were the BOOOMB.

Thank you for coming to Home & School Association meetings with solutions not just complaints.

Thank you for understanding that teachers are not at all saints. We are human too and have the right to get fed up with the BS.

Thank you for knowing how to dress.. not coming up to the school in head ties/bonnets/scarves, doo-rags, jeans sagging, pajamas, bedroom slippers, hip huggers with thongs and stomachs showing. Thank you for being young parents but knowing better.

Thank you for coming to my Back to School Night knowing you've been there done that..and wonder what you will hear different this year? Maybe nothing.. but seeing you means everything not just to me, but to your child.

Thank you for the joy you bring to a teacher's life for raising your child right, and knowing when to whip some asses.

Thank you for going and getting your child glasses and braces so that they were able to see the board and will grow up with straight teeth and beautiful smiles.

Thank you for knowing we're a team and staying in lock step with me so our children can shine and ride for the Black Community.

My Beautiful Black Parents... thank you for the Unity.
I Love you. God Bless you. Have a wonderful year 2009.

Sincerely,
Leah Jones, M.Ed.

"Ms. Shahazimah Young's Open Mic Freestyle"

me i'm a
grimy ass lass who loves to talk trash
can the party people in the house
a'hem..
..diiiiig ?
i'll schooool ya
on howwhenwherewhy
look you dead in the eye
and dare you to say, "she ain fly"
put my damn hands on my hips
lick my beautiful lips and come spit that sickhellahotsh--
cause i'm...
sliiiick
with a God given gift
that don'tstopwon'tstopdon't
quiiiit
com tes meh now
hot gyals bring dem com
rude b'woys ya wants none
ya cyan dash dis 'aht sweet sticky plum
i do my..
ting!
.....now party people in the house sing.....lolol.....

"For Hey-Girl II"

morning left his fingerprints
all over
you
" ..jealous girl?" he had asked and laughed
with his mouth wide open at your foolish ass
why would he ever
he will never never leave his wife for you
get a grip and forget that shit
you got that Hey-Girl II!
come home, back home for a soft warm bath
I will feed you wash your hair and try to make you laugh
..I said I'll try
and I
will bathe
you gently
and read to you..
from the Promises of God on this dark cold night
we'll sort it all out
and derive an answer
the rhyme and reason behind the circumstance
I will go door to door if I have to
and summons the women of the earth
to your rescue
to come
to your rescyouyourrescyouyourrescyou...

"..Skit lololol...."

I don't need anymore to be
'underground down'..
been there..done that
I've met some cats
and been around
now I'm a grown ass woman
who welcomes change
and opportunities to write life rip mics
to do my damn thang
so don't give me the dustytired spoiled oldstale
still
nah..gimme the brand spanking
freshcrispy
ultra extra..
and just lemme chiiiiill

"Rushed"

she took her tank top off
and sat in the dark
listening to stray dogs howling in the park
summer...
what could be done anyhow about the heat?
he'd called and asked
should he bring over ice cream?
20 minutes later her doorbell rings...
she hadn't bothered to reach for anything
in just jean shorts
she invited him in
after all hadn't he seen her in the past like this
time and again?
the ice cream served it's purpose
but she knew it shouldn't have been
much too soon she knew
to be ex lovers turned friends

"Relish"

not knowing what would be
was the thrill of it

I knew
as my lungs spread
I licked the salt and swallowed

my eyes locked onto the horizon

finally

over me you came

came
crashing down
hard
just for a moment I waited
and was submerged!
gliding and immortal through the crest
your weight and power could have crushed and
sent me fast flying to my death
I was hooked I knew as I burst through the surf
I'd tasted one of the purest forms of freedom on earth