Me Gritaron Negra

I was just seven years old
Just seven years old
What seven years!
I couldn't even reach five!

Suddenly, some voices in the street
Yelled at me
Black!
Black! Black! Black! Black! Black! Black!

Am I really black?, I thought
Yes!
What does it mean to be black?
Black!
And I didn't know the sad truth that it hid

Black!
And I felt black
Black!
Like they said
Black!
And I stepped back
Black!
Like they wanted

Black!
And I hated my hair and my thick lips
And I looked sadly at my brown skin
And I stepped back
Black!
And I stepped back

Black! Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Black! Black!

And time went by
And I was always bitter
I kept carrying on my back
My heavy burden
Oh, how heavy it was!

I straightened my hair
I powdered my face
And deep inside me
The same word always echoed
Black! Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Bllack!

Until one day, I was stepping back, stepping back, and about to fall
Black! Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Black! Black!
Black! Black! Black!

And so what?
And so what?

Black!
Yes
Black!
I am
Black!
Black
Black!
I am black

Black!
Yes
Black!
I am
Black!
Black
Black!
I am black

From now on, I don't want
To straighten my hair
I don't want to

And I'm going to laugh at those
Who, to avoid —according to them—
To spare us some bitterness
Call black people people of color

And what color?
Black!
And how nice it sounds!
Black!
And what rhythm it has!

Black, black, black, black
Black, black, black, black
Black, black, black, black
Black, black

At last
At last I understood
At last
I won't step back
At last
And I move forward confidently
At last
I move forward and hope
At last
And I bless the heavens because God wanted
That jet black be my color

And I finally understood
At last
I have the key
At last

Black, black, black, black
Black, black, black, black
Black, black, black, black
Black, black

I am black.