Name

For years I dodged my title
For I didn't want another burden
Handed to me
Life would already be a battle
Due to my given nationality
My struggle
To be taken seriously
Began the moment my mother started
Hyphenating:
T-A
Apostrophe
N-A-E-S-H-A
My pedigree
The only one in my family to
Bear an "Afro American" name
My society
My duty
To exclaim
I am more then my syllables
I am more than my race
I am more than the history channel
You can't fit me in 28 days
T-A
Apostrophe
N-A
DO YOU KNOW ME
E-S-H
A
Woman who denied her heritage
As if a stigma
Upon her fading melanin
Paling in comparison
to my
Mothers shade alone
Who wasn't allowed an "African name"
Because her father didn't condone
That kind of thing
T-A
Apostrophe
I am more than just my name
Than the stereotype you boxed me in
B.E.T. Can't begin to explain
More than a "a strong black woman"
Because that's how we are most easily
Portrayed
N-A
Ask me
E-S
About me
I want you to ask me
Anything and yet nothing at all
Especially why my mother
Viewed me as standing
Eight COMPLICATED letters tall
Apostrophe and a space:
So I could think before
I speak that name in vain
I never wanted
In the first place
H-A
H-A
I've laughed to keep from crying
When avoided pronunciations
Always keeps me from being carded
And this glass and and
All my wine
And my whining
Is for YOU MOMMY
And your misguided epithet
That I finally learned
And now claim:
My name is TANAESHA
And I am
What it means

-Nox Falls