POETRY: FREE

by Nakeya Isabell

Many people talk about the struggle

But I wonder if they know the story of pain

How our ancestors journeyed through the terror and the rain

See Harriet Tubman said she freed a thousands slaves

But could have freed a 1,000 more if only they knew they were slaves………

See, If we knew we were trained to be modern-day slaves, would we really choose to live?

What would happen if we acknowledged our reality and made steps towards change?

If we as people could recognize our identity, with a propensity to embrace our strengths, we could change this world

True unity is impossible to tear down

Not hatin' on one another, killin', and stepping on each other to get to the top

But loving one another as we love ourselves

And do we really love ourselves?

See, today we face modern-day slavery

Enslaved to relationships, possessions, power, money, oppression, entertainment, athletics and success

Yet we fail to see its shackles and its cause of distress

It's like going to battle without preparation

If you don't recognize the need to prepare you might as well plan to die

Like Malcolm X said

We can't think of being acceptable to others until we've first proven acceptable to ourselves

So we must accept our natural gifts

And the power lies within

Power to make a difference

Power to be free

Power To love

To be comfortable in our beautiful colorful skin

Because beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder

African, American, Somali, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Egyptian, Asian, Indian, European, and the list goes on and on

Shades of many colors yet we all bleed red

You are beautiful

You are powerful

You will be effective

See history, is the past, present and the future

So don't sit down, but stand up and make history

Don't just talk about the struggle ignoring the pain

Allow it to take root in your heart and mind so that you can bear its fruit

You are not bound to the media's perception

You don't have to be the statistic that society labels you

But I hope you realize through your real eyes you are called to be FREE

So raise your head, hands, and eyes to the sky and shine like the stars and allow yourselves to be FREE

Nakeya Isabell is a native of Seattle, WA. She uses her voice, creativity and compassion to spread hope. In 2004, Nakeya graduated from Cleveland High in Seattle then earned basketball scholarships to the College of Southern Idaho and Pepperdine University. In 2009, Nakeya graduated with a BA in Advertising. She is passionate about faith, love, and community. Currently Nakeya is a youth services assistant at Cleveland High. She released her first spoken word album entitled "Love, Justice & Truth." Nakeya's life goal is to live full so that she can die empty.

You can retrieve her album at: http://smarturl.it/nakeya.

Featured image by Agnali.