A war within me; My people

Way before my time

Way before your time

My people were simple

I feel it in my heart

In my hands

In my soul

My people were farmers

My people were metal workers

My people raised cattle

My people had unique languages

My people were artists and astronomers

My people were slaves and hard laborers

My people were curious

My people were travelers

My people were conquered

My people were rebellious

My people were survivors

My people fled from their own homelands

My people were forced to change

A war within me

Way before my time

Way before your time

My people were vicious

I can see it in my mind

I can feel it in my heart

The pain that they caused

My people were invasive

My people wanted unity in the worst way

My people traveled to concur

My people had strong beliefs

My people demanded you must be like them

My people killed

My people raped

My people spilled a lot of blood

My people built empires off of my people’s backs

A war within me brews

Shameful of my people

Hate towards my people

Yet

I feel

Concern for my people

Pride for my people

Part of me loves my people

Part of me despises my people

This is the war within me

My people were here before my people

This is how I became

The journey of me

My grandmother's skin is my people

My grandpa’s skin is my people

Together this was not allowed

My mother’s skin was not allowed

My people told my grandma not to marry this man

My people told my grandpa not to marry this woman

My people want to keep my people away from each other

A war within love, a war within me

My people looked upon my mother with disgust

My people saw her and her siblings as an abomination

A war within them

My people knew how to discriminate

My people knew how to make you feel bad about your skin color

My people knew how to create self hate

My people didn’t see what they were doing

My people may have come and conquered

But

My people also changed to be like my people

My people lost their ways

Overtime my people's problems were hidden by my people

A war within me

My mother’s skin wasn’t accepted by my people

My skin was supposed to be more acceptable by my people

My skin is still not accepted by my people

My people created self-hatred within me

The culture of my people was never taught to me

Because,

My people sought to completely erase my peoples’ culture

American culture is the only way

My people discriminated against me

My people discriminated against themselves

My people thought they were better because of their skin color

My people think they are superior

A war within myself

Today my people seek justice

Today my people seek injustice

Today I am proud of who I am

I am a simple person

I am an artist

My soul craves peace

I am a survivor

I am accepting of others

Today I am ashamed of who I am

I am aggressive

I am mad

I have a lot to work on

I am nothing like my people

I do not like the conqueror inside of me

Today I know my people are the same

Today I know my people have changed

Today I know my people are accepted

Today I know my people are not accepted

Today my eyes are open

Today history is being retaught

Today the truth is coming out

Today my people believe, love is love

Today my people do not accept that

Today I accept my people, similarity and differences

Today I know that I am not the bad guy, my people were

Today I know that my people did what they had to do to survive

Today I do not want to be at war with myself

I am who I am

I cannot change my bloodlines

Today I can be the change for my people

Today I accept that I am blended

A war within me should be no longer

A war within me will stop

A war within my children will cease

My children will not hate who they are because of our people

My children will love their people

My children will look at people as people

My children with not discriminate against our people

My children will not discriminate against themselves

My children will know no hate for our people

My children will know the truth of our people

My children's journey is different from mine

My children are blended with their father’s bloodline

My husband is blended

My children are blended like me

My mother was blended

My father was blended

My grandpa was blended

My grandma was blended

My people blended with my people

Our culture is American culture which is blended

but

Skin color shouldn't divide our people

Culture shouldn't divide our people

Our people shouldn't create war within us

Our people shouldn't create self-hatred

Our people should be put in their place if they are unaccepting of our people

Our people should want peace

Our people are so wrapped up in American culture

Our people forgot

Hopefully our people are willing to accept history

Hopefully our people will get it right for the sake of our children

Our history is cruel

Our future shouldn't be

For our people, our children

War is not needed for our people

Acceptance is needed for our people

My people

Are the people

Who

Love one another

Accept one another

Appreciate human life

Help one another

Regardless of skin color or culture

Those are my people