Am I Caribbean, or African
or maybe Afro-Caribbean
am I Latin-American – hell
hablo bastante español

I hide my vulgar laugh
so I am not associated
with my African American sistah

for I come with
a little more class
and far less sass,
to be rolled into that caste
lone rass…

when I hear the roar
of my father’s voice
and the bass
vibrates in my chest

I am reminded of the power
of my African ancestors
that could be felt
with the steady beat of our drums

when I laugh – you know that laugh
the ones where you
throw your head back
and let it all fly

the kind that can be felt
in the firm planting
of our feet in our
ceremonial dances

when I rise to speak
and my words clap
like thunder

similar to the strength
that rises from the
power of our words
as we sing the songs
our ancestors left us

I am reminded
that I am my sistah
and she is me
I am African
Caribbean
Latin American
BLACK

I am she and she is me.