"Yes, I Wear A Bonnet To Sleep" | The Odyssey Online
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Politics and Activism

"Yes, I Wear A Bonnet To Sleep"

A Poem About the Importance of Being Culturally Diverse

Tinesha Tutt
Nov 07, 2016
Florida Southern College
82
"Yes, I Wear A Bonnet To Sleep"
African Woman Digital Painting

And no I am not ashamed.

Yes, I wear a bonnet to sleep and I have to.

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I have to protect the roots that I am grounded from.


No, I will not take it off because I am making you uncomfortable.

What you don’t understand is that underneath this bonnet is my culture

And my culture does not lie flat like your hair in the morning sunrise.

It has a few more naps to pick through before it can be free.


So no, I cannot simply “go to sleep without it”.

My hair doesn’t work like that and neither does my culture.

I am one of the many naps on a head and if I don’t protect myself then soon I will “break off”


My bonnet is my protection for my hair and my people are the protection of my culture


Yes I wear my bonnet to sleep

No I am not ashamed

Please, take a picture it’ll last longer in the minds of the people who “don’t see color”


You see my culture has to protect its roots, waves and naps in order to be free in the morning sunrise.


I don’t just take an extra step at night but I have to take an extra step everyday to be at the same level as you.

So that my hair can lie flat too.


But did you know that?

Do you know what other naps and roots the people around you have to go through?

Do you give people funny looks just because they don’t resemble your mirror image?


Please don’t let your ethnocentrism get in the way of my bonnet being a social norm.

I wear a bonnet

I will continue to wear my bonnet.

And no I am not ashamed.


So the answer to your supercilious question “ Do you wear that “thing” to sleep?” is

“Yes, I wear a “bonnet” to sleep”

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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