What is in a name?

You see to me
My name…
or what you CALL ME
Should represent who I am
What I am
Who I am… becoming
and what or whom I shall be

So wait until I tell you who I am
or wait until you find out what I am
before you call me by what you see.

As a little girl they used to call me blackie,
tarbaby, smokey, darkie, dark skin…
as if my overblessedness of melanin was a sin

And my lighter skinned sisters,
I heard them call you redbone, lightskin, high yella, white girl
cause you were as close to that as they would ever reach or
touch…

Foolish me… I longed for your pain thinking it was the better.

But then I grew up… walked proud
stood strong and talked loud
and they heard me… and then really begin to see who I was…
becoming

But I’m striving too hard my brothers
sowing your seeds
nurturing this earth to leave for our children
to settle for that…
to settle for that Boo or Baby… 
even though it may sound cute

Call me…
Queen, for I am royalty,
Call me…
Earth, for without me the seeds you have planted will not grow.
Call me…
Cleopatra, for I am a great linguist
and living to be instrumental in making my people the world 
number one super power of all time.

Call me…
Nzinga, for she was a fearless, wise, resourceful and formidable adversary.
So like the strategic warrior in me.
Call me…
Neffertiti, cause I insist on being portrayed
as an equal divine partner to my mate.

And ONLY AFTER you have been introduced to all the wonders of this Queen
can you take the pride in the privilege to call me…

Baby when I rest in your arms at the middle of the night
to sooth the kinks and nicks I’ve received from this world.

Call me…
Boo when your friends wanna know the reason you smile on rainy days.

But its ok to just call me Woman

For that is WHO I AM
and that is WHAT I AM
in every sense of the word.