Black Boy Joy

Excuse me there!

There is a short story I would like to share.

Just give me a few minutes and I will deploy.

A beautiful tale that you are sure to enjoy.

Enjoyment is relative depending on you,

It’s about your perspective,

Your point of view.

The story is about a little boy.

It’s about a little black boy whose name is Joy.

It’s about a little black book from the bookstore he took.

It’s about a victor not a victim,

It’s about seeing a champion, instead of a crook in the system.

You see, his name is Joy and it's a peculiar one.

His name is Joy but he has none.

His life was all clouds and never the sun.

His life was lonesome, boring, and seldom fun.

Except for the days when he would run.

When he’d run to the bookstore to learn a ton.

In the sea of books he would read and read;

He would go on adventures that his mind would lead.

Far from his home

His mind would roam,

From Lesotho to Rome,

From Mongolia to the unknown.

Of all the places that he would go,

Nothing could take away the pain in his soul.

Since five years old,

All he knew was pain,

His mother was taken

She was labeled mentally insane.

His father was gone,

He was locked away,

He was still “at college”,

That’s what his Grandma would say.

His sister was sad and bitter too,

She was the type of person who took her pain out on you,

She would punch and pinch him to let her anger out.

She was always angry but no one knew what her anger was about.

What happened to his sister had happened to him too,

Neither of them spoke of what their Uncle would do.

He would hurt them in secret,

And he told them not to speak it.

The secrets were dark and the secrets were grim,

He did the same to him when the lights were dim.

Eventually the secrets took the most precious thing from him.

He slowly lost his voice,

But not by choice.

He lost the most important thing.

He lost the thing that could help speak

He lost the thing that could help him sing.

So day after day

He tried to find a way.

A way to find his voice again.

He needed some peace

To put his mind at ease

The bookstore was his only trusted friend.

Everyday he would go to that place

His sacred, safe and glorious space

And it was there he would find the key.

He found a little black book

That someone left in a reading nook

That book was shrouded in mystery.

Filled with blank pages,

The book contained stories from the ages

But no one could read it with naked eyes.

The book was activated

When the heart was captivated

And when the author writes and cries.

So with tears in eyes, Joy held the book in his hands,

The world stood still with all its terrors and demands.

All fears faded away

He felt peace for that day

His words were finally at his command.

Rushed with emotion

He felt an ocean of commotion

Words were once again on his tongue.

As he wrote in each page

His fear began to fade.

His voice began to grow

His voice began to bloom

Like Jesus Christ,

His words resurrected from the tomb.

He wrote and wrote

Until words began to appear from his throat

He was coming alive again.

With no fear to hold him back

He was ready to speak truth and facts

The little black book was his best friend

He was ready to share

For all the world to hear

He was ready to be free from shame.

He no longer had secrets to keep from others

And he no longer wanted other to do the same.

He was ready to speak out

And not hush his mouth

Until he heard his Uncle call his name.

On that fateful day

His Uncle said, “ Hey!”

The predator had found his prey.

He heard that familiar voice

And his Uncle presented him with an ugly choice,

“Don’t share your story because I will gladly pay”

He grabbed Joy by the neck

And with great disrespect

He wrote him an offensive check.

“I will give you $20,000 if you keep your silence!”

With disdain in eyes

With a hateful and haughty look

His Uncle said,

“I will give you this money

If you give me your book!

That book you took

Will make you look like a crook!”

Time stood still

Until Joy felt ill.

He felt fury,

He felt pain,

He felt fear

He felt shame.

This indeed was quite insane

Many thoughts ran through his brain.

“There is so much that $20,000 can do...

But it can not heal My pain”

With ice in his veins

With his voice he calmly remained

He was determined to just simply exclaim one phrase to him very plain.

He stood up and looked his Uncle straight in his eyes.

With a big deep breath and two small sighs

He said:

NO!

No, you can not and will not take my voice.

You took my power back then ;

But now I’ve made my choice

I will speak my mind

I will share my heart

I will no longer let you tear me apart.

This is my start

This is my new day

Even if they lock me up and put me away

I will never, ever take your dirty pay.

And with those words he walked away.

He stepped into the light

He felt the warmth of the sun,

His name is Black Boy Joy

And now his joy has begun!