Stories that Celebrate Being Black

What about that lad,
The one with skin like the night,
Who bathes in sunlight every day,
With a heart open wide?
Does he have enough friends,
Or do they linger for different reasons?
You know he’s black.

He roams the streets with a crew,
Laughter echoing in the vibrant air,
But I wonder—
Do they cherish his spirit,
Or chase the thrill of his riches?
They stay by his side through the long hours,
Yet it circles back—
He’s black.

He ventured to Hollywood’s glimmering gates,
Only to face derision;
Under whispers of rejection,
They labeled him just “the black one.”
But I recall the fire in his voice that day,
He spoke of dreams soaring higher than starlight,
A promise that transcends the narrow views,
That dismissed him for being black.

He’s my dear friend,
In all things that matter,
A bond forged in shared laughter,
Not defined by the color of his skin,
But still—
He’s black.

“© 2024 Jaskaran Singh. All rights reserved.”