In Honor of … By Saul Williams ...

(Black History Month Children's Poems)


I asked her
to clean up
her room.

She said,
“I’m not a slave.”

“Nuh, duh,” I said
“cause if you were
with that attitude
you’d be dead.”


“No. I would be
like Harriet Tubman
or Sojourner Truth.
And in honor of
Black History Month
I won’t clean up my room!”

“In honor of the maids
who worked long hours
for little pay, who cleaned
and cleaned, and cleaned
and cleaned …
I won’t clean up today!”

“Well, you do know your history”
I said. “Girl, you make me proud

And in honor of your mixed ancestry
you should clean the house.”