Listen here, Black Girl.

A letter to myself, and other broken black girls.
We are not shattered, we are simply letting the light shine through.

Listen here, Black Girl.

I know your knees are tired.
Bruised and beaten from all the time they’ve spent shoved into hard wood, carpet, and linoleum.
I know your eyes are cried shut from all the pain this black skin brings.
All the pain, this black girl brings.
I know what it’s like to be searching for someone whose love holds all that deep skin, and knotty hair, and wide hips of a woman.
I know what it’s like to come up breathless and empty handed.
Knuckles and fingertips carving around pieces that don’t fit, simply because they are pieces.
And they aren’t quite as shattered as you, Black Girl.
I know, Black Girl.
That the compliments are nothing in comparison to the pictures.
To the Nia Longs,
And Anita Bakers,
And Beyoncé No Last Name Women.
I know.
I have sunken into this skin before.
I have sat there.
I have died there.
I had rotted there.
But listen here, Black Girl.
Don’t you see?
I know you can’t right now,
But you are glorious.
And I know, those words have fallen into deaf ears.
Ears you harden so often they aren’t familiar with the sound of love.
But no one can train them to know what it’s like to be poured into like you can.
And you can.
And you will.
And God willing, I will teach you.
I will be all the woman you have dreamed of.
I will show you how to love yourself like you want someone else to.
I will be your Nia Long,
Or Anita Baker,
Or some other Beyoncé No Last Name Woman.
I WILL,
Be
Someone you are proud to become.
All that deep skin, and knotty hair, and wide hips of a woman.
I want you to read this, when all the world around you is caving in and breathing space is limited.
Read aloud.
Read through the tears.
Scream at the top of your lungs if you must.
Just keep reading.
And when you are done,
Look at your beautiful self in the mirror and say,
“Listen here, Black Girl.
You be all the magic they are afraid of.
You shine so bright, you blind everyone around you.
Sit in the valley if you must.
Cry, deep, Black Girl tears.
But when you are ready, and this time must come…
RISE.”