Arts featured Racism

Kinda hate, a poem by Angela Bowden

Kinda hate

The way you look at me 
like I’m dirt beneath you
Kinda Hate

Stand up
rather than sit beside me on the bus
Kinda Hate

Lean away from me
when I sit beside you
Kinda hate

Call me
nigger, coon, monkey, boy
Kinda hate

Pretend I am invisible
and exclude me
Kinda hate

Throw change in my hand
with no smile
Kinda hate

Let the door close
in my face
Kinda hate

Not even look back to apologize
when it hits me
Kinda hate

Make me wait outside your store
because I’m black
Kinda hate

Don’t allow me to participate
in anything
Kinda hate

Strap my hands
just for fun
Or for the sight of me
Kinda hate

Arrest or kill me
just because you can
Kinda hate

Treat my mother, father, siblings
like they are property
Kinda hate

Rape my grandmother
and steal all her children
Kinda hate

Beat my father’s spirit
down to the marrow
Kinda hate

Murder mama's babies
for gator skin
Kinda hate

Destroy entire generations
by terror
Kinda hate

Ignore them when somehow they survived it all
and cry for help
Kinda hate

Dismiss the truth
that screams beneath the lies
Kinda hate

Knowing dreams still die
and hope still cries
Kinda Hate

And no one cares
and no one is even sorry
This level of hate!

Being the product
of all of that
Kinda hate…….
Angela Bowden at the Halifax rally in support of Nhlanhla Dlamini. Photo Robert Devet

Angela “Angee” Bowden is a poet , spoken word artist and story teller. Her passion is derived in the pain and pride of her lived experiences as an African Nova Scotian woman.

She writes largely in advocacy to educate and  tell the truth about today’s society and speak the stories long forgotten. She speaks so that through her voice she may unmute long silenced voices of others.

See also: We seek justice, nothing special, just the law – Angie Bowden on the racist attack on Nhlanhla Dlamini

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3 Comments

  1. Dear Angela,

    Thank you so much for composing this necessary and hard-hitting piece. I admire you and the voice in it. May we see some change and love soon. And also, for the NS Advocate for running it, and allowing me to be introduced to you. Many thanks, Chad Norman, Truro, NS.

    1. Thank you for those Kind words Chad. I believe Nina Simone said an artists job is to reflect the times 😊

  2. Powerful, honest, to the point but with a measure of grace, unearned by the ” kinda haters ” I suppose it is the alcamey of truth telling and grace that lies beneath the poetic gold in this piece.

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