POETRY PLATFORM: I Didn't Know - A Poem by Susan Kolade
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POETRY PLATFORM: I Didn't Know - A Poem by Susan Kolade


The Poetry Platform by Words of Faith

I Didn't Know by Susan Kolade


I never went through history books

Never searched the words

Was never taught how deep it was

Just taught dates and names

So, I didn’t feel it

I couldn’t just relate.

Here comes 2018,

I go abroad to study,

Saw people as males and females

No race, no skin colour

Nothing so different

We were all just people

Living.

Here comes 2019,

Still studying,

About to round up

Looking for a job now

Was told it's tough on black women in the job market

Didn’t reply

I simply didn’t understand.

Was told I wanted to become a slave in another man’s land

Mum, what does that even mean?

I walked into a store

Shopping as usual

Saw this expensive professional dress

I am buying it

The look they gave me

Was something wrong?

I left.

Then comes 2020,

I’m back home

I read, I watch, I listen

The colour of my skin

The history of my people

What my mum said

My experiences

I begin to understand

At 23

Shame?

I really didn’t know

That being different…

Was not okay...

When I think about it

If I didn’t know

Until I was exposed

Then you didn’t know

Until you were exposed

You were taught to hate!

Unlearn

And

Relearn

It's not okay to hate 'me'

Because of the 'colour' of my 'skin'

Something so external

Trees have brown

Sand has brown

You used to play with brown crayons

When you think about it again,

You are simply like me

Just another Human.



 

ABOUT THE POETRY PLATFORM


The Poetry Platform is an online space for writers to showcase their work. We feature poems, prose and short stories from writers all over the world. If you are interested in sharing your work on The Platform, email us or fill in the submission form on our page.


 

ABOUT WORDS OF FAITH


Words of Faith is the debut poetry book by Faith. The inspiring collection features over twenty poems written with the intent to encourage and motivate readers. In the book, Faith writes on love, life, faith, passion and purpose. You can order your copy of Words of Faith today on Amazon.

 

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