Cocoa

Where shall I start.....

Cocoa, sweet cocoa,

Yes, I am made with cocoa

From the tip of my curls

To the curls of the tip of my toes

I am drenched and oozing cocoa

My hair is so strong, it fights back at the grip

Shrinkage is the bond, it’s not just skin deep

The definition of curls, so tight it plays games

Black girl magic, it runs through my veins.

My face is strong, so are my expressions

Resting bitch face, it needs no explanations

For my brown eyes have seen the dark world

But look into my eyes, so dark, you see another world

Let’s move down to my nose, what can I say about my nose

It was was a big problem, no pun intended, when I pose

What about my lips, they always were a cause for discussion

The stares, “my eyes are up here,” they needed no introduction

Oh my hips and bottom. Now they need no introduction

It’s the first thing you look for, instead of my conversation

But you weren’t interested in my conversation, it was too violent

Just like my attitude of assertiveness, made me a bitch in your mindset

You see this is the narrative that has been given to me

As a black woman, a prescribed way to be

Or a fashion statement, full lips and hips

But my brain is full too, get a load of this

Cocoa is more than skin deep

Black girl magic is more than hair deep

My curves are more than waist deep

And my attitude is nothing less than deep

I have been raised that to be just as good you have to work twice as hard

Just because of this narrative, like my life is prescribed on a card

But I am not an angry woman, as everyone thinks,

I just need you to listen! Listen to me make some links

Because cocoa, cocoa is more than just looks or attitude

It’s a culture, one that has been subjected to servitude

Why should I have to shorten my name to get a job?

I’m just as good, or even better, I feel robbed!

I could go on and on about what being cocoa is like

Natural, Brown, bitter but sweet alike

I love every inch of me

There’s no other person to be.