Who would I be if I knew not how to make you more beautiful?
If I knew not how to make the pain you cause worth telling stories of, would you break my heart for fairy tales where another of you needs to rescue me?
Who would I be if I was not there to be a martyr for your cause?
If I wasn’t there to be stabbed with your insults and distasteful slurs, would you show me the respect I deserve?
Who would be if I didn’t have to wait for your ideals to match my world view?
If I didn’t have to change who I am for the world to make space for me?
Who would I be if you treated me differently?
I’d still be me.
Excerpt from Chapter 8: An Ode To Black of “African Gentleman” by Jade Novelist