To My Sisters Lyrics

20 Lessons for a black girl

1.

They lie.

Do not fold your breath.

There is no reward for the strength they want you to wear.

No thank yous or welldones for staying faithful

to collecting grief like clothes,

your back broke and spent.

2.

Your skin gives the sun blues and cripples her with worry of losing her job.

3.

Some lessons, walk on two legs.

4.

Again, when they say nothing says black woman

like wrinkled and dusty, like black eyes and bruises,

can’t pay rent or feed her babies,

never will taste spring, and protecting and forgiving the people who hurt us,

say no.

Even if it’s a black man.

5.

Yeses will not make you a good person, nor will it make them stay.

6.

Sometimes, self love feels like war.

Go

anyways.

7.

It is us- bad black girls,

who keep god in business.

8.

Do not waste your life auditioning for acceptance

or

baptising the ones trying to harvest you, with love.

9.

Quit

Trying to expire.

Also, forgive yourself for the days you were poison.

10.

Learn, to be pliant. To call first, text first and call back the girl you buried.

And beyond devotion to mothers, fathers, lovers, and children,

always,

persistently, choose her.

11.

Leave your body’s mutilation to eyes, hands and mouths that are not yours.

12.

Remember, it is the sisters, who will take up arms to fight for your life.

It is they, who will drag hope and healing to your front lawn

and freely, patiently, teach you kindness and love.

13.

Fail fear. Do not for any reason let her cut your legs.

14.

Sister,

Anyone who risks losing you, should lose you.

Also yes, you’ve got time,

Enough, to taste kind lovers, friends,

enough,

to String together your own Family, …

Gods, who are not blind,

need no report sheet on the weeds that sleep in your lungs,

or directions on how to pull them out.

People who give a shit about planting a semicircle on your face.

just because, like this, as you are,

all night, no wins, you still are, deserving

of celebration.

15.

Forget shame, Forget shame,Forget shame, Forget shame

16.

Eventually, everything moves, even, sorrow.

17.

My love, swallow no seas

when they call you a slut.

Instead, forgive their jealousy.

You river of bravery.

You bible of orgasms.

You treasurer of pleasure.

You museum of freedom.

18.

You silly silly silly girl,

Even your shadow deserves a dance in the sun.

19.

I know, it’s hard.

But sometimes cleaning involves more than cobwebs.

It is, deleting numbers and texts,

it is removing yourself, even when you want to stay,

especially when you want to stay.

20.

You are God not tea. And people are allowed to prefer a glass of wine .