I DARE YOU…

By Uche Ginigeme
You say dare to be DIFFERENT,
dare to be UNIQUE,
dare to STAND OUT and not be afraid
to go against the crowd.
I constantly try and SUCCEED
in demonstrating my BRAVERY and CONFIDENCE,
while you constantly face me with your back
and show me that you really don’t care.
You had already determined my worth and capabilities
before I even got the chance to show you them
…wait a second…
before you even got the chance
to be blessed with the presence of them.

You judge me like you’re God Almighty.
Clearly, you’re not.
You throw out dares like stones,
Trying to persecute and crucify me – a cross –
Across the world, in the presence of my peers,
in the presence of me? No.

It’s time for “the favor” to be reciprocated.
I dare you to judge.
I dare you to judge
my CULTURE, my CHARACTER,
my looks,
my CHOICES, my VALUES…
and talk about whatever other senseless mess
you seem to always whisper when I turn my back.

I dare you to judge my AFRICAN CULTURE –
rich in tradition, customs, people, food, music, language…
language.
I dare you to ridicule their language
…excuse me… my language,
which does not consist of the sound that is made
when you hit the tip of your tongue
on the roof of your mouth
and bring it back down again –
you know that noise you make
that’s similar to the ticking of the clock
that’s telling me you’re just wasting my time.

Whenever I state my full name…
Aha m bu Uchechukwu Ginigeme.
I dare you to sit there with that smirk on your face,
trying to hold back what you may think is laughter,
but what’s really you blocking your opportunity to learn-
learn about ME.

I dare you to judge my CHARACTER.
I dare you to undermine my INTELLIGENCE.
You pay way too much attention to what you see
and not enough to what I SAY.
Though my lips may be wide
and my behind may protrude –
especially when I turn to the side,
I know that I encompass something of greater size –
MY MIND.

My mind aids in giving me a VOICE.
And I dare you to tell me that my voice isn’t loud enough.
LISTEN clearly.
My words speak VOLUMES
according to the messages they contain
and not the decibels at which they are spoken.

SEE,
my focus is on the UPLIFTING, INSPIRING, MOTIVATING
words that GOD speaks to me to speak to you
– through those two wide lips of mine –
in order to cushion our hearts and minds –
like the cushion surrounding my behind.
Now look at that. HEAR THAT.

I dare you to judge…

I may not fit the mold
that you’re trying to hold and keep me tied down in.
But, I still dare you to judge
my CULTURE, my CHARACTER, my looks, my CHOICES, my VALUES…
and talk about whatever other senseless mess
you seem to always whisper when I turn my back.
Because, I’ll just turn around,
shut you up,
and make you wish you would’ve just asked for the TRUTH.

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