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 “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.
With a special thanks to our generous donors who make publication of the Nova Scotia Advocate possible.
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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.
Thank you for those Kind words Chad. I believe Nina Simone said an artists job is to reflect the times 😊
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.