October 21, 2024
Recently I met with Dominic Nelson-Ashley at an event, and he told me that amongst other things he has been writing some poems and he shared one of these which focuses on business. As I am doing my 30 days series for Black History Month October 2024 on matters of business for York St John University. I had permission from Dominic to share this with you. Enjoy! Tomorrow, I will give my own interpretation of this poem.
Dr Berrisford Lewis, York St John University
BLACK MAN WORK by Dominic Nelson-Ashley
When all is said and done
A black man must work for himself
because society wants to oppress him.
Always designed not for him
Always pushing him into the corner
Or the county lines
Or the streets
Wanting him to be a man-child
Or a child-man
Never a man-man.
Do you get me?
Let me explain:
Man-child –
Physical strength but the vulnerability of a baby
so he can be bent to do their bidding with a few tears.
See how they pull a bull-elephant by a cotton string?
Still police will shoot him down.
Child-man –
Physically weak but the brain is fine,
his brain can run like fire.
They chain him to an office desk, he can’t break free.
Not enough strength.
See how they pull a bull-elephant by a cotton string?
That is the advancement.
They used to want man-child,
Now they want child-man,
They will call this Martin Luther King’s progress.
Black man must be Man-Man.
Must do his own work,
make his own plan,
must use his physicality for his own purpose,
use his hands,
use his mind,
to do his own bidding.
If he doesn’t do that
he will crack
no matter what his size,
he will be a broken child-child
of no use to himself,
only entertainment for his oppressors.
A black man
to be a man
must work for himself.
Dominic Nelson-Ashley 