What do you think?
My Sister's Veil
PREFACE
MY SISTER'S VEIL(a poem)
Toni's
A beautiful face is never enough
To guarantee love, success, and trust.
Torn and conflicted by what they see and say
Maybe they're right
It's better their way.
They always win,
So of course we would choose
To perpetrate a look
That will never lose.
I'll just take it to the twelfth degree
So it appears self righteously
To be me.
So bury the mirror,
And who you really see.
And bury the hatred
Of who you really be.
Then it's easy to forget the grief
And promise yourself
You can become
A respectable
Thief!
Terri's
Restless and young
With nothing to lose.
Thrown into your world
Unblemished, unbruised.
Ready to grow, and trust and learn,
But guns fill your hands before you discern
The value of life, community and respect
A simple way to mask your intellect.
Apprentice of self-destruction,
A king with no crown
Frustrated and confused,
By the systematic run around.
Yet a gnarly lesson awaits to prove
It's by your own hand
You win or you lose!
Tina's
Abandoned and ashamed
Afraid and unloved
I hid my pain
As innocently as a dove.
The Lord answers prayers
So invisible I'll be
'cause my blllack and nappy
Embarrasses thee.
If only but
For a genuine veil,
I'd lose myself
In self-medicated hell.
But no need to worry,
No need to fret
Their 'yaki' hair and blue contacts
Are easy to get.
Spare not a dime
For value and worth
Designer labels and gold
To our pride gives birth.
So strut on high, and lively, and proud
As you die slowly
With a legacy
Broken and loud!
MY SISTER'S VEIL(a poem)
Toni's
A beautiful face is never enough
To guarantee love, success, and trust.
Torn and conflicted by what they see and say
Maybe they're right
It's better their way.
They always win,
So of course we would choose
To perpetrate a look
That will never lose.
I'll just take it to the twelfth degree
So it appears self righteously
To be me.
So bury the mirror,
And who you really see.
And bury the hatred
Of who you really be.
Then it's easy to forget the grief
And promise yourself
You can become
A respectable
Thief!
Terri's
Restless and young
With nothing to lose.
Thrown into your world
Unblemished, unbruised.
Ready to grow, and trust and learn,
But guns fill your hands before you discern
The value of life, community and respect
A simple way to mask your intellect.
Apprentice of self-destruction,
A king with no crown
Frustrated and confused,
By the systematic run around.
Yet a gnarly lesson awaits to prove
It's by your own hand
You win or you lose!
Tina's
Abandoned and ashamed
Afraid and unloved
I hid my pain
As innocently as a dove.
The Lord answers prayers
So invisible I'll be
'cause my blllack and nappy
Embarrasses thee.
If only but
For a genuine veil,
I'd lose myself
In self-medicated hell.
But no need to worry,
No need to fret
Their 'yaki' hair and blue contacts
Are easy to get.
Spare not a dime
For value and worth
Designer labels and gold
To our pride gives birth.
So strut on high, and lively, and proud
As you die slowly
With a legacy
Broken and loud!
212 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
July 8, 2010
This book displays the courage of three African-American women traveling along their journey through life. These women own similar characteristics that hinder success--self-destruction, self-hatred and substance abuse. These three characteristics cripple a soul forcing the negative self-image to prevail planting the seed in the cycle of poverty. This book left me breathless but refreshed on some level. The issues the author addresses are some that I feel personally affects the current status of African-Americans in our society today.
If one doesn't own self-love they will not succeed. In order to become successful one must first believe that they are worthy of success. I found myself getting lost in each page holding my breath at times waiting for the outcome of each woman's journey. I also became angry at how real each story was. We, in the African American community, hinder our success and the success of others by continually owning self-hatred. When we place value on the color of skin or hair texture rather than on character and integrity the results are disheartening resulting in violence, poverty, substance abuse, etc.
Each character faces racism in the larger society but also within their communities and families. However, they all become empowered and succeeded despite their circumstances. The author allows the reader a brief glimpse into life behind the walls at the Whittenhall. The characters and the baggage--stories-- they come with are very real. Ms. Marshall paints a clear picture of how things are and what is expected behind the Whittenhall Wall. In our society, life for some begins and ends behind a wall similar to the Whittenhall as they feel they deserve nothing more. They don't acquire necessary strength to tackle that wall. Whereas in other cases, people use all of their power--education, desire and will--to climb out of their situations creating a better life for themselves. These three women did just that.
The veil is a metaphor of the importance of knowing your true worth and value. When you believe that you come from greatness then you believe that you deserve the best that life has to offer. I highly recommend this book for all people, however, feel it will have its greatest influence on young women despite the color of their skin. When we teach young women to love and respect themselves they end up demanding it in their lives. This book is phenomenal and I hope the author gets the praise that she deserves for addressing serious issues in such a gripping way. As in life, each character has their own voice and I heard them loud and clear... bravo!
If one doesn't own self-love they will not succeed. In order to become successful one must first believe that they are worthy of success. I found myself getting lost in each page holding my breath at times waiting for the outcome of each woman's journey. I also became angry at how real each story was. We, in the African American community, hinder our success and the success of others by continually owning self-hatred. When we place value on the color of skin or hair texture rather than on character and integrity the results are disheartening resulting in violence, poverty, substance abuse, etc.
Each character faces racism in the larger society but also within their communities and families. However, they all become empowered and succeeded despite their circumstances. The author allows the reader a brief glimpse into life behind the walls at the Whittenhall. The characters and the baggage--stories-- they come with are very real. Ms. Marshall paints a clear picture of how things are and what is expected behind the Whittenhall Wall. In our society, life for some begins and ends behind a wall similar to the Whittenhall as they feel they deserve nothing more. They don't acquire necessary strength to tackle that wall. Whereas in other cases, people use all of their power--education, desire and will--to climb out of their situations creating a better life for themselves. These three women did just that.
The veil is a metaphor of the importance of knowing your true worth and value. When you believe that you come from greatness then you believe that you deserve the best that life has to offer. I highly recommend this book for all people, however, feel it will have its greatest influence on young women despite the color of their skin. When we teach young women to love and respect themselves they end up demanding it in their lives. This book is phenomenal and I hope the author gets the praise that she deserves for addressing serious issues in such a gripping way. As in life, each character has their own voice and I heard them loud and clear... bravo!
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review