On The Bottom

It’s a
Long way down to the bottom
But
Only if you are falling from the top
Stop.
Proceed only if they allow you to
Never believe that you are still valuable
You were born on the bottom.
No one is coming to hold your hand
You are not a part of the plan
You’re a part of the problem.
Learn to see yourself as they do
Know that you will always struggle to be stable
You weren’t given permission to make it to the top,
So moving up… well you simply weren’t made to.
I’m still waiting for my day to make it,
But waiting and wishing don’t mean that it’s coming.
We were born on the bottom
And it’s a long way up
And at risk, is you falling…
Down by the river
Where only the ones who tread water are considered true winners
You must learn to keep from drowning
You must learn that you were never made to make it out
And when you’re searching for clarity you must know that it isn’t coming.
Seeking strength in abundance
But those same preachers who taught me of Jesus showed me that because of my sin I just wasn’t worth loving
If I know anything
then I know I know nothing.
I was born on the bottom
Hands out for those handouts
Where we search for relief in empty pockets
Lie and say that we got it
But we really do not know “it” is.
Momma said to never tell them your business
So it’s our pride that keeps us in this.
We were born where religion makes us require God as our witness
But, if a ghost sees me hurting
I guess I hope he can fix it…
I guess I hope I don’t miss it
But I remember where I was born at
I was born on the bottom.

 

Tru Kwene started seriously writing poetry when she was 17 years old, in her last year of high school. She took her skills with words to the streets when she became a youth organizer that same year with Teen Empowerment and began organizing peace promoting events in the Boston area. You can find her on YouTube, and in Boston, supporting as many local artists and mics as she can.