I Am More Than My Hair

I am more than my desire; more than I even aspire to be
more than they told me I could be, I am me.
Magnificently Black and proud to be
A malignant cancer on their self esteem,
For in my natural mane they find crowns
of memorabilia of raped and drowned queens
who once won the respect of even the Asian,
who sells me hair in indoor flea markets
for gain through Barbie-styled caricatures
of what I am told to be, to be - American

Despite what they might perceive,
whether, or if, they care to care
I am more than the dollar defines,
more than the thick swells between my curvy lines
I am more than my thick lips, more than my skin, however dark or fair
I am more than a consumer, I don’t need a costumer
Why can’t they comprehend this? I am more than my hair!
I have my crown and my convictions, I don’t need extensions
Don’t give me horse hair. There is nothing synthetic about me.
I am human. I feel, I bleed, I shout, I cuss, I eat, I drink,
They doubt, I learn, I love and make love or even pay attention
to the mind games they play with distorted images of me on display
But I am more than what this capital scene is made of

Human hair? Human Hair? From a real live Asian gal?
Why you come in here to try to get me down about my kinky crown?
Oh Lord, the despair!
Who lied and told you we need to cover up our hair?
This Black girl finds no pride in hiding ‘neath a crown of fear!
You must be trying to sell me dead locks
‘Cause I ain’t seen no bald headed Asian gals running around here

by Jessica Holter