An Encounter with Dominic Nelson-Ashley
Dr Berrisford Lewis
Helping Entrepreneurs Attract Their Perfect Clients And Double Their Profits. Mentor, Coach, Author & Speaker.
Recently I met with Dominic Nelson-Ashley at an event, and he told me that amongst other things he has been writing some poems and he shared one of these which focuses on business. As I am doing my 30 days series for Black History Month October 2024 on matters of business. I had permission from Dominic to share this with you. Enjoy! Tomorrow, I will give my own interpretation of this poem.
BLACK MAN WORK by Dominic Nelson-Ashley
?When all is said and done
A black man must work for himself
?because society wants to oppress him.
?Always designed not for him
Always pushing him into the corner
Or the county lines
Or the streets
?Wanting him to be a man-child
Or a child-man
?Never a man-man.
?Do you get me?
?Let me explain:
?Man-child -
?Physical strength but the vulnerability of a baby
so he can be bent to do their bidding with a few tears.
See how they pull a bull-elephant by a cotton string?
?Still police will shoot him down.
?Child-man -
Physically weak but the brain is fine,
his brain can run like fire.
?They chain him to an office desk, he can’t break free.
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Not enough strength.
See how they pull a bull-elephant by a cotton string?
?That is the advancement.
?They used to want man-child,
Now they want child-man,
They will call this Martin Luther King’s progress.
?Black man must be Man-Man.
?Must do his own work,
make his own plan,
must use his physicality for his own purpose,
use his hands,
use his mind,
to do his own bidding.
?If he doesn’t do that
?he will crack
?no matter what his size,
?he will be a broken child-child
of no use to himself,
only entertainment for his oppressors.
?A black man
to be a man
must work for himself.
?