I’ve been hit and punched. 
Called a bitch, whore, slut and prostitute. 
I've been raped, spit on, kicked, cursed at and threatened. 
I've been told I'll never amount to anything - just like my dad. 
I've been told I'm too black, too smart, too stupid, too ugly, too high si-diddy, 
too well-spoken, too ethnic-looking, too white-ified, too skinny, 
too dark, too bougy and too sexy - to ever be taken seriously.
I've been fired, kicked out, evicted, banned and shunned. 
I've been the object of derision, ridicule, envy and jealousy. 
I've been laughed at, molested, physically and emotionally abused, slapped, excluded and kicked to the curb. 
I've been loved and hated. 
I've been received compassion and empathy. 
I've been told I'm different, stylish and fashionable. 
I've been called a prophet, a visionary, a revolutionary, a philosopher, an intellectual, an angel.
I've been called a trendsetter, creative, ahead-of-my-time, 
I’ve been told I’m dynamic, beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, brilliant.
I've been told I'm an excellent communicator, a great artist an inspiring figure, a role model. 
I've been copied, imitated, quoted, emulated. 
I've been admired, respected, awarded celebrated, appreciated. 
I've been the ultimate sexual fantasy. 
I've fulfilled some men's dreams, and broken others. 

I’ve been your daughter, your sister, your playmate.
I've been lover, your freak, your plaything, your nightmare, 
Your best friend, your worst enemy, your confidant, your exposer
Your adversary, your ally.... whatever you see in me