HOW MY FAMILY MADE ME “COLORED” and

HOW BARACK OBAMA MADE ME COLORBLIND

by ROSEMARY OLLISON

When I was born
Even though those around me didn’t know it
I heard what they said

They gave me my false identity
when I heard them say
It is a girl
She got pretty hair
She is red
Look at her hands
She go be light

Once I entered this confused and crazy world
my false identity continued to be defined by others
and forced upon me

She so pretty
She sickly
She can’t do nothing
She ain’t no good

When I was nine years old I learned segregation
Until then I played with the overseer’s little boy who was my age
When he stopped coming to play with me
I asked my grand mama why
She told me
Cause you is “black”
And he is “white”

I firmly told my grand mama that
He waln’t (wasn’t) “white”
And I waln’t (wasn’t) “Black

That was the day I started
seeing the world in black and white
complex, complicated, and difficult to understand

Thanks to Barack Obama
For changing how I see the world

When I first heard that we had a “black” president
My response was

A black president
I don’t believe it
Is it true or am I dreaming

After taking a good look at Barack Obama

I see that he is not “black”

He is an inspired man
He is wise man
He is a just man
He has no race
He is just in his rightful place
Trying to make the world a better place

When I look at the world
I no longer see black and white
Barack Obama taught me to be

COLORBLIND

I see the world in living color!!!

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Last edited by Tyler Schuster.   Page last modified on September 11, 2009

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