Green Dot Runner-Up: I’m Tired of Being the Tail

Jay'onna Moore

I’m Tired of Being The Tail

You ask me how i identify,
My identity
You want to test me and be surprised when you get
the best of me

I’m tired of being the tail
I’ma get to the top,
I may have to fail And when I’m done with the worst
They waiting like “Well”

They won’t look at me different
They’ll look at me the same
I’ve learned to live with it and say
It’s “okay”

You say I’m black
I’m not a chocolate bar
I’m not for your consumption
But I will admit I am scrumdiddlyumptious
Wham Bam Yes Ma’am

I’m Deuteronomy 28
I’m destined and I’ve got faith
I’m so sick of being the tail

I’ma send you the message in the mail so you can
finally get the picture

I’m tired of being ashamed
I’m me, wild, and cannot be tamed
Sorry this is me I was born this way

I’m outspoken
My voice cannot be broken

I’ve got too much to say
And you’ll never stop me in any way

As I wander aimlessly with my head down
Pondering why no one was ever proud
I vowed and promised to myself
I am something to be proud of

I got a weight on my shoulders
Family selling boulders
‘Cause that’s what they gave us
It’s in our melanin

We built America so you can call this a nation?
A land of the free where you can just be
But is that true?
You all came from us

So why am I the color
Word to my mother
We all slip further
BANG!

Into dysfunction
And division

But what we need to do is stick together
We’ve been divided for forever
They’ve won!

You want to say
“Black power we devour”
But we killing each other we’re cowards
There’s no black power

You’ve got sons without fathers
You’ve got daughters without mothers
The sons become murders
The daughters become worriers

This is Not an union
We’ve got to stick together
And stop being the tail
In order to be the head