Painting by Herman Baron
We are a people of color that have many different shades,
Each one reflecting their own individuality and personal ancestry,
Our closeness with the divine one has given
us the strength to endure the many obstacles
that have been placed in our paths,
But it’s also the love you may get from your
dad or other relatives that help you to cope
with the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
The unions and bonds that once kept our
traditions intact have disappeared,
Forcing us to adapt a foreign culture and to abandon our own,
Leaving a false legacy for our future generations,
Robbing them of the security, support, love
and unity that we once shared with each other
as we grew up.
It is time for us to show the world that
blackness is more than just a word.
It’s a way of life,
Our life,
It’s the main ingredient of our heritage.
We must not allow that one special thing that has
been left for us to control to be snatched out of our grasp.
The colored family is being broken down and destroyed.
But with the proper nurturing and the proper care,
We can break the cycle of destruction and
begin to produce colored dynasties like those of the past.
Just because we’re different shades doesn’t mean
we’re not from the same bloodline.
It’s time for use to unite.
Copyright © 2009 by Herman Baron III
Herman Baron III is the author of a collection of poems entitled Conversations with My Soul. He is at work on a new collection called A Voice in the Dark, from which this poem is taken. The poet is also an accomplished artist and created the painting featured above, which contains many impressions of members of his own family.
A many-colored celebration of a many-colored people!
Top: Herman Baron III
Colored People, 2007
Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions unknown
Copyright © 2007 by Herman Baron
