MEETTA TALKS!- A Tribute ...

Hey! It's February!

February is "Black History Month."

A National month of Recognition, (at least for most American states). Recognition for the contributions and lives of Africa's descendants here in America, a tribute!

Here is mine.

"BROWN SKINNED WOMAN"

By Meetta Martin

I'm more than just a body,

Smooth brown skin, permanent beyond a tan.

Voluptuous breasts, pear shaped hips.

I offer more than stereotypical, fantasy sex.

I AM A BROWN SKINNED WOMAN!

Rich in culture, Proud of my heritage.

I embrace our traditions.

I can and have endured many things.

Some so unfairly heaped onto me.

I have an amazing, blessed, God given strength!

I boggle the worlds' mind, time after time.

I can't be enslaved and torn down too long.

My soul is gonna find a way

to be free.

My spirit is strong and will live on!

Somehow, some way... it will!

I AM A BROWN SKINNED WOMAN!

Mother of beautiful, brown skinned children,

teaching them how to succeed and survive,

even in the face of evil.

Teaching them to learn to wear their skin color, as a badge of honor.

It is a gift, NOT A SIN...to have their color of skin!

(Don't be fooled children, people pay THOUSANDS of dollars,

and spend many hours, sometimes with great pain,

to have darker skin! Like the skin you're born in!)

...Mothers

Loving those children with great passion, but taming those children

when they are wild, some of us...many of us caring,

Brown skinned women.

The ones that don't get applauded.

Raising our children,

many of us doing the best we can, keeping house and taking care of business,

with and without a man.

I have the distinguished honor of being

A BROWN SKINNED WOMAN!

Strong,

Intelligent, independent, beautiful, Exotic

REGAL!

Vibrant, funny,complex, lovable, sincere, AND

unforgettable!

I am a formidable being to be reckoned with.

I AM A BROWN SKINNED WOMAN!

People all over the world,

for centuries, revel in...

My style, the way I wear my hair, my form of expression.

The way I move, dance, walk!

The way I pray, sing, talk!

I cook a great meal.

I'm ingenious, totally creative!

My inventions improve and change the way the world operates.

First woman millionaire, created beautiful products with which you comb your hair.

On your washer, I put the ringer there!

Without the "proper education", I was denied,

I created the schematics for the torpedo dis-charger on your submarines.

I ran the underground railroad

that helped relocate our enslaved brothers and sisters.

I wasn't the only one, one of many,

but they hunted me as if I was.

Still...I never was caught!

Even with a bounty on my head, the highest bounty for a woman,

the highest bounty even for a man, at that time!

I NEVER WAS CAUGHT!

I found my way lead by the stars in the sky!

I AM A BROWN SKINNED WOMAN!

I sang songs of code

just to be able to pray, encourage, and bond with my people

in the days of old.

I am a MAGNIFICENT Creation!

I AM A BROWN SKINNED WOMAN!

Yes! Dear Reader,

I too am an African descended woman of Color!

MY name is MEETTA JEWELLE MARTIN!

You can't tell me my place in this world is low, for I am among a people who serve a God that "sits on high". When my Great, Great Grandmother, (Lula Mae's grand mother, I don't know her name, darn!)

and mothers like her, were working long hours, getting scorched by the sun, planting that tobacco, slopping them hogs, taking care of them Masa's chillin' and picking that cotton beside their children...they held on!

That cotton...

cutting up their arms, sticking even through their long sleeves, pricking fingers,

without mercy and no profit for them. They had no freedoms, no say so. They had no one, no government to protect them. They could be beaten, traded, sold, raped, maimed and killed.

Every culture had their own problems.

Still, it happened to mine!

It happened to my grannies and my grannies before them. Yet and still...

they held on!

Fending off them European men folks, unwanted affections, protecting their daughters...they held on!

While cruelties of bondage were heaped up on them, they held on.

While lies of "their place" in life, were drilled into them, they held on.

They Held on to truth about who God said they were...

A people he was going to use to break AND change the world!

A people of unusual giftings and talents.

A people of great strength and strong spirits.

These women BELIEVED, in these freedoms and promises no matter how long!

Even while watching their men lynched and their spirit beat out of them many of those women... held on!

Believing in that freedom, like the children of Israel.

No matter how long!

Many of them believed this for the generations they couldn't even touch yet!

For many of you, for me, they held on!

With precious cargo's of brown skinned babies on their backs, while performing whip driven labor...They held on!

THEY ARE THE REASON I AM HERE! I won't let them down!

Grandmother! All my mothers before me... I would want you to know me now,

to hold me, to teach and show me, but all I have is your memory...your legacy.

I promise you, I WON'T sit quiet!

I WILL keep PRAYING!

I WILL keep following the God (the great I am) & his son, The Christ, like you did.

I WILL keep speaking my heart!

I WIll keep lifting that unique voice of mine, that came through you!

I will continue to use that voice in encouragement of others, to uplift and

not tear down, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SKIN SHADE!

Concern and love, tears down evil.

It educates and unites us through humanity!

I know Grandmothers! I know!

I will keep moving forward.

I will keep my virtue, once regained.

A Woman of knowledge, morals, conviction, forgiveness, passion and truth, I am..like you, grandmothers!

I love in my life. When I love, I love with every fiber of my being!

Heaping compassion on those who come to me needing it...A kind word, support in a hug, food for them and their kids, if I got to spare.

Mothers before me, I won't let you down!

I would want you to know me now, to teach me, to hold me, to scold me 'cause you would do it in love, to grow me.

'Granny', I miss you!

In loving memory of ...

Mrs. Lula Mae Martin, of South Carolina * 1892-1973

AND

Mrs. Mary Ola Webb, of Michigan 1918-1988...MY grannies and their mothers.

...AND TO ALL THE BROWN SKINNED WOMEN whose contributions were mentioned in this poem and more!

LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!

THANK YOU.

Meetta

TeEn SPeAk-Teens and Lonlines, PART 1

Hello Young people, parents, Youth Volunteers!

Hello to all of my Readers!

Today is a GREAT DAY ISN'T IT?

You are alive!

You are breathing!

You made it through another night, intact!

Life is not all that bad when you consider that YOU...HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE to do better,

to be happy, to get some joy in your life and DO SOMETHING GREAT TO CHANGE YOUR SITUATION or make someone else's life better! The bad things didn't get the best of you!

OK! Enough already, Meetta! I know I know, Dear Reader that you may be thinking this! Unless, you are thinking, "So what's this all about, Meetta?"

I say, "that's a fair question!"

Remember that, "TEEN SPEAK", is about subject matter that directly affects teenagers and other young people. I write In this article for those from 13 to 22.

Though, in our day and age, kids tend to grow up faster for a number of reasons. The Media, family situations, peer pressures, violence committed against children, all have a tendency to strip the innocence from them way too soon. So, I am aware that pre-schoolers have experienced some things and can verbalize some very mature things as well. Still, I keep in mind the subject matters for older youth, as that group is old enough to properly verbalize experiences, thoughts and actions. They have a better understanding of consequences and the affects of certain ways of living!

So, Today's topic is ...(I'm struggling with this because there are a few topics I want to talk about immediately!) Uh...I'm just going to go for it and chooses one, knowing that in time I will be able to write about the other ones. Please know that these writings are for educational and inspirational purposes. So, to start this article off, I will say this, that

My BIGGEST THOUGHT for you all, young people, IS THAT YOU KNOW even in this great big old, sometimes lonely world, that though it may seem like it at times, please know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

That's right! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

There is somebody out there of good intention, waiting to help you through any crisis! They are out there waiting to encourage you in the right direction. They don't want anything FROM YOU! These kind of people only want to get something TO YOU! These kind of people only want you to live your BEST LIFE! Knowing how to you find those people is the key! There is a a vast source of information to help you locate help! One option may be a "neighbor", someone who won't hurt you, touch you in any improper way or ask anything of you that YOU KNOW is wrong! This person is easily accessible and open to you . They "take" time talking and LISTENING TO YOU! You know something about them, they are familiar to you and you feel they are "trustworthy and helpful."

Another source may be your parents. For those who are not so fortunate, other sources may be a favorite teacher or coach, our youth volunteer in a church organization or your best friends. There are a variety of organizations that you can find on Google or in your yellow pages.

(Do people still use those?) Hmm. What about a favorite teacher, school or community center or church counselor? Anyway, still if you look for it my teenage, young People, know that you will find what you need. Descent People, is what I am talking about. EVERYBODY needs somebody, sometime! So, don't be stubborn and foolish thinking you have to handle all of life's trials all by yourself. While there are times when we ALL have to face some part of life alone, understand that we can still choose to share and let others in! We don't have to endure the WHOLE problem without some support! Eventually, someone will come along. Not all the time will they be available, but someone will come along and ask you how and if they can help! So, seize the opportunity, if you need it!

Maybe you can take their card or information down for future purposes! That's always good too! Because, sometimes you meet people for later rather than now! Remember life keeps on going and wisdom keeps on giving. So, for later, keep the counselors number, OK?

Remember if you need help, help does not always come looking for you! Often times, that person (help) is waiting for you to reach out to them! We don't always know HOW to help even if we know THAT YOU NEED HELP! So ask if you need it.

What ever the situation though, don't give up even if you ask for help and it does not immediately come. What ever you do, DON'T GIVE UP! Somebody of help will hear you! Somebody does love you and somebody does care! Sometimes, it just takes time for them to get to you. Stay strong and think wisely in the meantime. HELP for you may just we lying right inside of you! What I mean is, YOU may be the one who has to help you! Sometimes, there is not time to wait on someone else. Sometimes you have to be the one to take action on your own behalf. So, if that is the case, think wisely and hold on. Don't do anything rash. People will come because we are not meant to be alone! You are probably still going to need some help or companionship later. Sometimes when they do show up, you may just be surprised who it is that comes to your aid. It may not be who you think or want, but the support is just as sweet!

STAY STRONG YOUNG PEOPLE!

Caring about you, Ms. Meetta