Clothes by Maya Angelou

[The Circle: New Paradigm]

You are in love with TOMMY
Because his last name is HILFIGER
But behind closed doors, TOMMY
Is calling you a NIGGER
But you could care less
Because you have been taught to dress to impress
If I asked you about your true history
You would have to look on the back of your jeans and GUESS!
You come up in the club wearing VERSACE
Clothes made by a homosexual male
So even when you say you are straight
It is very hard to tell
And for footwear you wear TIMBERLANDS,
Even under the sun
That same tree is the symbol for them
Could Have Been the same one your ancestors were hung from
I can not forget your NAUTICA
When the Last memory you have of ships
Is coming to North America in shackles,
Being beat over the back with whips
And to my beautiful black queens
Whose creative womb has become barren?
I am confused, because your face says Nefertiti,
But your sweater reads DONNA KARAN
When was the last time you saw LIZ CLAIBORNE
Conversing with black women,
But as soon as her name is printed on a purse
To Macy’s you quickly go running
Ralph Lauren doesn’t even look at black men
Unless they are driving him around town
But as soon as that slave master appears on the back of the horse
You put whatever you have picked up down
My people reclaim you status in this world and in your life
FUBU, in case you didn’t know, stands for “For Us By Us”
Buying black will someday suffice

DO YOU KNOW WHO OWNS TIMBERLAND FASHIONS?
WELL, TIMBERLAD IS OWNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF K.K.K.
SURPRISED? DON’T BE. READ MORE BOOKS, BLACK PEOPLE.
ALWAYS HOPE FOR THE BEST AND PREPARE FOR THE WORST
YOU MAY NOT GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, BUT YOU’LL SURELY
PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET!!!
~Maya Angelou