Can You See Me Now?

She said, “Look ma no hands…”

And her mother turned a blind eye downwards

So as not to see the shameful shimmy

Her daughter did down a pole and

Onto the floor of the club for attention.

While everyone in attendance drooled over

And some even seemed to slither towards

The gyrating, vibrating booty bounces

Causing slapping sounds against the linoleum,

The silent sobbing fell on deaf ears.

She called for her Ma to look,

But it was her mother’s mother’s mom

Who took offense and opened her eyes wide

In horror at the misuse of her descendant’s flesh

As it was ogled and grabbed and squeezed by strangers.

Her mother’s mother’s mom remembered the day

When she too was ogled, grabbed and squeezed by strangers

As she stood upon a pedestal in a crowded market.

Her adornments were not gold plated and shiny to distract

From what she would be offering her newest owner.

Her pedestal wasn’t the chosen place and she didn’t want to be watched.

The pedestal assigned to her had been experienced by many before.

It was degrading and she felt ashamed to be put on display

While scantily clothed and forced to show her …“assets” to the crowd.

She couldn’t even remember how to smile while on stage anymore.

And in her grave, she tearfully looked down at her wrists.

They were scarred and marred by the heavy shackles that once bound her.

On one side, what was left could barely be called a hand;

The fingers tangled together and bent at awkward angles.

So called healing from punishment for stealing a biscuit from the dog’s bowl.

The other hand was burned and had become discolored and shiny.

Trying to cook for your master and fish out anything for yourself

At the same time was cruel and unnecessary…unless you wanted to survive.

When she said, “Look Ma, no hands,” she had to be consoled and calmed,

Because it wasn’t seen as an accomplishment back then, but a lament.

Look Ma, no hands.

They’ve been shackled and I cannot use them.

Look Ma, no hands

Allows me to perform like a side show in the circus.

Look Ma, no hands.

Copyright ©2011 Natasha Guy