When we were Negroes

 photo Harrison Chastang

When we were Negroes
life was beautiful
in the hood
we was family then
we all was kin
looked out for each other
loved yo brother sista
when we were Negroes
had hotels restaurants
night clubs cafes
own drinkin water
swimming pools
mountain retreats
no white man rights
til civil rights
Sun Ra said civil rites
Sonny said you get them
at the cemetery
freedom and rites
when you dead
total freedom forever
and rites
Church rites
Masonic rites
Legionnaire rites
gang rites
when we were Negroes
now we black
ain't got shit
Black president
ain't shit
let two Negroes out prison
left 2.4 million down in the dungeon
Black President
most powerful man in the world
can't stop killing in his hometown
if he can't stop it can't nobody
cept maybe the Negro
call him forth
the Mighty Negro
Go back Black
to Negroland
Not Africa
where everybody lived together
in the projects
family
we all kin
neighbors whupped you ass and mama too
when you got home
cause you was wrong
no adults scared of youth
whup Dante's ass
disrespectful impudent
now you Black
scared of yo kids
scared to go to store at night
yo kids run the hood
terrify the hood
no Elders speak
scared to death
But we Black now
post Black even
multicultural
yeah
on the bottom of the ladder
don't bring nothing to the table
yeah Paradise say they love everything about you
but you!
Nigguh is a billion dollar word
now the Nigguh don't want to say Nigguh
Asians Nigguhs whites Nigguhs Mexicans Nigguhs
Gay/Lesbian Nigguhs
but Nigguhs say don't say Nigguh
say the N word
the N word ain't no billion dollar word
Nigguh is the word
Nigguh scared to say Nigguh
he so Black he so African
Nigguh ain't shit
Ask the African is the Nigguh shit
Ask the Jamaican
Ask the Arab
they pimp the hood
dress like Nigguhs talk like Nigguhs walk like Nigguhs
fuck like Nigguhs
they love everything bout Nigguhs cept Nigguhs!
So let's be Negroes when we were family kin
What's up family?
What's up kinfolks?
What's up Bloods?
Can't speak to these Blacks, these African Americans
you say high hey what's up, dog
silence
Nigguh on cell phone talkin bout where you at where you at
he ain't nowhere and she ain't nowhere
lost and turned out on the way to grandmother's house!
Call me Negro from Negroland
Nigguh for life even
from the Nigguh tribe
But I like when the Blacks say, when the North American Africans say
I appreciate you
I appreciate you
I appreciate you
now this is Black is Beautiful
three little words
I appreciate you
sounds so nice
so much love
I can be Black with that line
I'll give up Negro with that line
I'll be Black, African even
with that line
I appreciate you, Brother
I appreciate you, Sister
I appreciate you, Mama
I appreciate you, Daddy
I appreciate you, Queen and King
Whatchusay?