Cleopatra, you are royalty.

Yet, the pigment of your skin seems to be a distraction.

You cringe at the mannerisms of people who look like you

And roll your eyes when their speech doesn’t come across in proper sentences

You would be much more appealing if you weren’t so supercilious

The people you talk about would just call you a “bourgeois bitch”

That distanced herself to the point where she no longer see herself in the same light.

But whitewashing your existence does not make you polishedIt only makes you shallow

If being black was something to be ashamed of God would have never made us

Solomon would have never encountered a woman who said; “dark yet lovely am I”

Black women would not have that innate sense of pride

But in your case, I guess that trait is recessive…

Hatshepsut, you are strong.

You have to be.

Your life is not one that has been afforded the luxury of being comfortable

But I need you to try a little tenderness

I know you are marred by the scars of an absent childhood

Endured you share of heartbreak, trials, and tribulations

Which has left you in a cold state

And your tongue as sharp as any blade

I get that.

I understand that there is love after war but no man wants to come home prepared for battle every day

It’s exasperating.

I too endure skirmishes outside the home,

Struggle to find validation in minimum wages that don’t match my worth,

Enough is enough!

You don’t have a filter but you want others’ words to be saturated when it comes to you and your feelings

You are so sensitive that you should be clairvoyant enough to perceive what the people around you see: A beautiful woman who is just ugly inside…

Zola, you are the future. Let the still small voice guide you in your femininityIn your journey to maturation, pray for positive influences. A rich complex history runs through your veins. Some aspects of which I hope don’t repeat. But the best part of you lies in your innocence. Cherish it. Protect it. Let not your mind be taken in by thieves and knaves.Apply yourself to things that matter. Pursue your passions. There is much about this world and the people that are in it that will seem foreign and cruel to you. But never relinquish your joy. Never compromise who you are for the sake pleasing someone else. Smile. Be fearless. Never be afraid to make mistakes. Or unwilling to forgive others for theirsBe humble. And if all else fails, be a lady.