An Ignorant White Woman's Kwanzaa Poem
It all starts
with Africa--
source of humanity
and civilization.
My ancestors left.
They created new views
and principles. How well
did they serve us?
Our skin became
pale as we kept
multiplying and dividing--
multiplying and dividing,
like doing so would
get us somewhere.
From my fractured
and broken ancestry,
I look in the windows.
I am ignorant and white.
Looking in on Kwanzaa, from the
outside I try to hearken back.
It has been
too long and I am
too pale. I look with guilt.
I hope no one sees me.
To know I'm disrespectful,
culturally appropriative,
or insensitive would kill me.
So I retreat
this isn't my holiday.
I want to support Kwanzaa,
but I am just an
ignorant
white
woman.
So I will try to live the
principles.
Unity
Self-Determination
Collective work and responsibility
Cooperative Economics
Purpose
Creativity
and Faith.
In all my communities
I will grow and knit these principles into them.
Perhaps eventually the world can be healed
and knit back together
into Africa
where it all began.
Published by Rose Ellen
I am currently exploring life and discovering my ultimate life path. I love to learn and share my knowledge, growth, and experiences with those who would find it useful. I am an ordained minister. I have an... View profile
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7 Comments
Post a CommentVery well written!
I too know little about Kwanzaa. I appreciate the courage that it took to put yourself out there with this article!
Interesting perspective for a poem...good job
What a nice sentiment! If only the differences could be knitted back together. :)
Very well written. Knitted together, we all blend nicely. Cheers!
Lovely sentiment!
Great poem. I'm afraid I don't know a lot about Kwanzaa either.