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TS

TONI SEARS

Aug 15, 2007 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

I'd Rather

I’d Rather be hung and swinging from and oak, than be confused an in denial like some black folks.

I’d Rather be afro-centric, beautiful and bold, than be a famous black tap dancer, in black face, just playing a supporting role.

I’d Rather be a proud black woman of the ages, than not know who I am or where the missing page is.

I’d Rather be blessed to know that my black heritage is more than skin deep, than walk around as a black man and not know that I am free.

I’d Rather be called colored by rednecks old, than be put down by my own people because I have too much soul.

I’d Rather be poor and down trodden and left to face this world alone, than see my brothers and sisters lost, wandering and can’t find their way home

— TONI SEARS, Aug 15, 2007

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Critiques

18 years 10 months ago

Hi Toni!

Welcome and i see I am one of the first to visit your work if not the first. Here is the raw truth according to me or how I see it. There is a "ton" of value in your poetry. It is very strong in it's mesage and I am taking it for face value as comming from your heart in truth. On your requests, my experience tells me that there is a larger group of people who do not believe in using the title in the poem - not all agree and certainly it works well with some work. Redundance or the repeating of "I'd rather" falls into those same ideas of style. I really think most would rather as well as I (my style) would make this poem for most rather than single out a specific group ALTHOGH it certainly works here. The rhythm is broken a bit at "famous black, tap dancer"... I think if you put that comma after dancer the rhythm will be best here. Did you mean to put a period at the end of the last line? This is truly a powerful value statement, In the end it is your your decisions. Thanks, Mark

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TONI SEARS

18 years 10 months ago

YOUR COMMENTS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS, WHEN TYPING THE KEYS, AS WELL AS REVIEWING THE POEM. i ENTENDED FOR THE COMMA'S TO APPEAR AFTER (TAP DANCER, AND BLACK FACE,WHEN I RECITE IT TO MY SELF IT SOUNDS LIKE I WANTED IT TO. THIS POEM WAS THE RESULT OF AN EXPERIENCE I HAD IN COLORADO, WORKING IN THIS BAR, THE ONLY WAY I COULD FORGET ABOUT WAS WRITE SOMETHING, AND THAT IS WHAT CAME OUT.

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ladywriter

18 years 10 months ago

I'd Rather

Toni... In reading this I had to say: Why are we still thinking it only happened to blacks. I would rather see someone give thanks for all the good they have accomplished by their own hands, than to feel they struggled because of someone else. I'd rather see a smile on your face, rather than a frown because of your race. I pray I'm not out of line but it's the raw truth. If I knocked you on your back; give me your hand and I'll help you up. I'm A Sista ~ ladywriter

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TONI SEARS

18 years 10 months ago

YOUR COMMENTS

LADYWRITER,I DON'T FEEL IT ONLY HAPPENED TO BLACKS. I WAS RAISED TO TREAT EVERYONE THE WAY THEY TREAT ME, AND TURN MY FACE TO HATRED AND IGNORANCE. TRUST AND BELIEVE THERE IS A SMILE ON MY FACE. I LOVE BEING A BLACK WOMAN. THIS POEM IS THE RESULT OF A SITUATION I HAD IN COLORADO, WHILE WORKING AS A COCKTAIL WAITRESS IN THIS BAR. THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION INVOLVED MYSELF, TWO BLACK GENTLEMAN, AND A YOUNG WHITE LADY. WHO HAD BEEN BEATEN BADLY, AND WAS TRYING TO COVER UP HER BATTLE SCARS WITH MAKE-UP, I BELIEVE THE BLACK BROTHERS FELT THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE YOUNG LADY'S FACE, BEING SHE WAS IN THEIR COMPANY. ALTHOUGH I DID NOTHING, NOR SAID ANYTHING, AS THE WAITRESS I JUST ASKED THEM ALL IF THEY WOULD LIKE A DRINK OR SOMETHING TO EAT. I WAS JUST CAUGHT OFF GUARD, AND WAS SARING AT THE YOUNG LADY'S FACE WHILE INQUIRING IF THEY WANTED A DRINK OR SOMETHING. ONCE I FINISHED TAKING THEIR ORDERS, I RETURNED TO THE BAR AREA. ALTHOUGH THE TWO YOUNG BLACK MEN, DISRESPECTED ME, IN A PRODOMINATELY WHITE ESTABLISHMENT, WHERE IT LOOKED TO BE THAT I WAS THE TOKEN BLACK,(I WILL NOT REPEAT WHAT THEY SAID TO ME) ALL BECAUSE I REALLY LOOKED AT THE YOUNG LADY, THEY HAD IN THEIR COMPANY. FOR THAT MY FEELINGS WERE HURT, AND I WAS UP ALL NIGHT TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. I JUST COULD NOT MAKE PEACE WITH IT, I HAD TO WRITE SOMETHING IN ORDER TO GET IT OUT, I DID NOT FORCE IT, AFTER GRABBING A PEN AND PAPER, I'D RATHER IS WHAT CAME OUT. ONCE I WROTE IT DOWN I FELT A VERY BIG WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS, IT WAS JUST HOW THE SITUATION MADE ME FEEL, THIS WAS NOT A PRIME EXAMPLE OF A BLACK SISTER TRYING TO PLAY THE RACE CARD. IF I AFFENDED YOU IN ANY WAY IT WAS NOT INTENDED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPINION, BUT LOVING WHO I AM IS SOMETHING THAT COMES NATURALLY, I DID NOT LEARN IT IN A BOOK, OR HAD TO BE TAUGHT BY SOMEONE ELSE, I LEARNED IT FROM LIFE. THE LORD LEADS AND GUIDES ME, THANK YOU FOR YOUR RAW TRUTH, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. TONI SEARS

L

ladywriter

18 years 10 months ago

I'd Rather

First I will say; thank you for your response. I more so understand where you're coming from. If it weren't open for the raw opinion, I wouldn't of said anything. I understand you fully. Sometimes, we have to grab pen and paper and the good part of it all is that it helps. You did not offend me at all. I can say that being raised in California I didn't experience anything racial. When I did open mike readings in Los Angeles I heard a lots of "playing the race car" (I like how you said it). For a long time, I didn't have confidence in my writing cause that was a lots of what I heard (racial readings). What's so cold about it was the ones speaking never even experience any racial situations; they were going by hearsay. I guess I judged that poem by that and I apologize. Thank you for getting back at me and may God bless you always. I remember when I first saw the title "I'd Rather", the first thing I thought of was Luther Vandross and I opened it. I love that song. Be Blessed Toni as I know that you are. ladywriter

18 years 10 months ago

that opening line is so powerful

as is the message. It's hard to say anything from a white perspective but hope you know some of us feel skin shame for what racism has done. In australia the near genocide of the aboriginals compared to what happened to the native americans and our prime minister still refuses to apologise. I am constantly shamed by my race, gender and nationality. I therefore choose to bond with goodness, love and beauty. Which is in your poem. I think the repetition works and the use of the title. For niggly corrections, read it aloud to yourself, you will hear what could be changed. cheers, Jess

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