Down Low
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
Unless it’s the pain of a woman who mourns
For not just the life of the man who died
But for the lives he crushed with all his lies
She could have dealt with him having a lover
If only it had been with a woman and not another brother
Her heart bearing the weight of a hurt so deep
All while wishing his secret he didn’t keep
If only he’d opened up and let her know
He’d been living his life on the down low
Why didn’t he protect them from all of this?
Why was he putting all their lives at risk?
Too many questions and not enough answers
Now the legacy he left is HIV and tears
He knew she had a kind and loving heart
She might have understood if he’d told her from the start
He took away her freedom and right to choose
So now she’s left with a something she can’t refuse
To live a life with fear, doubts, and regret
The lowest of all infidelities; one she’ll never forget
And as she buries the man who loved another
She cries out to all the down low brothers
If you don’t feel that what you’re doing is wrong
Stand up for sexuality, be proud, and stay strong
We know being a black man is hard in this society
But stop hiding behind excuses and set yourself free
A community that endures so much already
Doesn’t need anything else to make it unsteady
Please be open about your sexual preference
Saying your heterosexual meanwhile you’re crossing the fence
Save yourself and your partners with the truth and protection
Do something to reduce the risks and the eliminate infection
So in closing I’m putting my brothers on blast
Be honest about your present and your past
Tell us upfront and give us a choice
Give us the opportunity to have a voice
Cause HIV won’t immediately leave you dead
But the woman you infected might kill you instead
(c) Blu Jewel
posted by Blu Jewel at 3:04 PM
14 Comments:
Now is this a new sub genre...angry erotica poetry? I enjoyed that immensely! Scanned very well. You may also ne interested to know that something you have been teasing me about I've kind of half done now ;)
Amen...
You hit on two topics that are very taboo in our community. I'm glad you posted this and hopefully some who needs to read it will read it.
I recently read a statistic that said that Afro American women account for 50% of all newly reported HIV/AIDS cases in America.
You know, a Black male friend of mine said (when I happened to mention this statistic to him) that that's why Black men are loving/dating White women now.
I know. How sad... (both the statistic and his response)
A sad but important narrative poem, Blu.
Bravo Blu!
Whew thank you for writing this! I wish we had the email of every black man in American and could forward this to ALL of them!
Amazing job!
all i'm g'on say is wonderful write, sis!
oh and the ending... they betta know!! (LOL)
Peace! today, jus be... yourself.
"She could have dealt with him having a lover
If only it had been with a woman and not another brother"
DAYUM! I didn't see this one coming. But hey, it needs to be said. Preach sistah!
got-damn! You really got this off. I work with a dude I know for a fact is on the DL. It kills me cause he has a wife and two great kids who he talks about all the time. I'm not knocking his hustle cause we've all done our dirt, but how can he do what he's doing without thinking of the trail of lies and dirt he's leaving behind? I'm tempted to print this and leave it laying around so he can read it and maybe he'll get a clue.
Yes!Yes!Yes! That says it. As if women, especially black women,don't have it hard enough in this world. I have the most respect for people who are who they are, and let me know I can accept it or reject. Loved this one. Awesome!
This is powerful! Powerful words and a powerful message. I hope that those down low brothers who read this take heed and think twice before doing what the man in your poem did. Awesome!! Keep up the great work! =)
I didn't get to comment on this sooner, but I do read each and every comment left. Though I don't know any one personally (like JC does) engaging in this lifestyle, I do consider the reality of it. I'm not against homosexuality, but I'm against the secrecy these men possess at the risk of others. I realize taht it's so much easier said than done, but these men have to find a way to be forthcoming with their wives/girlfriends to prevent the senseless increase in HIV transmission. JoJo, you made a very strong case here and the man you spoke of is a pathetic excuse for testosterone.
Cheating is cheating whether it's with a man or a woman, so if you're gonna cheat, PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
Both powerful AND important. Nicely done.
Post a Comment
<< Home