LITTLE GIRL
WITH THE PRESS
AND CURLS
AGE EIGHT
I GOT A JHERI CURL
THIRTEEN
WHEN I GOT A RELAXER
I WAS A SOURCE OF
SO MUCH LAUGHTER
AT FIFTEEN WHEN IT
ALL BROKE OFF
EIGHTEEN WHEN I WENT
ALL NATURAL
FEBRUARY
TWO THOUSAND
AND TWO I
WENT ON AND DID
WHAT I HAD TO DO OH
BECAUSE IT WAS TIME
TO CHANGE MY LIFE
TO BECOME THE WOMEN
THAT I AM INSIDE
NINETY-SEVEN
DREADLOCKS
ALL GONE
I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR
FOR THE FIRST TIME
AND SAW THAT HEY
I AM NOT MY HAIR
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM NOT YOUR
EXPECTATIONS NO NO
I AM NOT MY HAIR
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM A SOUL
THAT LIVES WITHIN
DA DA DA DA
DA DA DA
DA DA DA
DA DA DA
DA DA DA
DA DA DA
GOOD HAIR MEANS
CURLS AND WAVES
BAD HAIR MEANS
YOU LOOK LIKE A SLAVE
AT THE TURN OF
THE CENTURY
IT'S TIME FOR US
TO REDEFINE WHO WE BE
YOU CAN SHAVE IT OFF
LIKE A SOUTH
AFRICAN BEAUTY
GOT IT ON LOCK
LIKE BOB MARLEY
YOU CAN ROCK IT
STRAIGHT
LIKE OPRAH WINFREY
IF IT'S NOT
WHAT'S ON YOUR HEAD
ITS WHAT'S UNDERNEATH
AND SAY HEY
I AM NOT MY HAIR
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM NOT YOUR
EXPECTATIONS NO
I AM NOT MY HAIR
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM A SOUL
THAT LIVES WITHIN
DOES THE WAY
I WEAR MY HAIR
MAKE ME
A BETTER PERSON
DOES THE WAY
I WEAR MY HAIR
MAKE ME
A BETTER FRIEND
OH OH OH OH OH
DOES THE WAY
I WEAR MY HAIR
DETERMINE
MY INTEGRITY
HEY EY
I AM EXPRESSING
MY CREATIVITY
BREAST CANCER
AND CHEMOTHERAPY
TOOK AWAY HER
CROWNING GLORY
SHE PROMISED GOD
IF SHE WAS TO SURVIVE
SHE WOULD ENJOY
EVERY DAY
OF HER LIFE WOAH OH
ON NATIONAL TELEVISION
HER DIAMOND EYES
ARE SPARKLING
BALD HEADED
LIKE A FULL MOON
SHINING
SINGING OUT
TO THE WHOLE
WIDE WORLD
LIKE HEY EY EY EY EY
I AM NOT MY
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM NOT YOUR
EXPECTATIONS NO OH
I AM NOT MY HAIR
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM A SOUL
THAT LIVES WITHIN
I AM NOT MY HAIR
I AM NOT THIS SKIN
I AM NOT YOUR
EXPECTATIONS NO OH
I AM A SOUL
THAT LIVES
NOW IF I WANNA
SHAVE IT CLOSE
OR I WANNA
ROCK LOCKS
THAT DON'T TAKE
A BIT AWAY
FROM THE SOUL
THAT I GOT
IF I WANNA
WEAR IT BRAIDED
ALL DOWN MY BACK
I DON'T SEE NOTHIN'
WRONG WITH THAT
OH OH