rainbow from chi by saint bahr

mama always would tell me,
“gotta work 10x more harder,
harder than anyone else”
she told me, “people don’t matter,
you can’t trust no one but family,
just got them and yourself"
she told me, "just cause we’re shorter
doesn’t mean we can’t be bolder,
bolder than anyone else"
as i would sit on her shoulders
banana bread heated rollers
pancit and pandesal

ma and i are rainbows in the sky
in the sky of big white clouds
i’m the red, she’s the blue, fuck the white
we are colorful and loud
everything that i ahve in this world is because of what she gave
even though sometimes i forget when she tells me to behave

within myself are colors are colors that you can’t see
it’s the colors of las islas filipinas
it’s the colors of my ancestors and me

sometimes, i stare up at the sky
and see a rainbow shining so high
i see my pale brown thighs
i see my sisters eyes
i see my brothers nose
i see my titas’ lives

mama always would tell me,
“gotta work 10x more harder,
harder than anyone else”
as i would sit on her shoulders
banana bread heated rollers
pancit and pandesal

now or not, fight or fly
back at home people die
get to learn, get to thrive
my skintone the divide
brown or white, plain or fried
boys like white, brown to hide

mama always told me i looked better with a tan
she thought i was pretty just being who i am

i see rainbows everytime i close my eyes
i see a million thins inside myself without disguise

mama always would tell me,
“gotta work 10x more harder,
harder than anyone else”
she told me, “people don’t matter,
you can’t trust no one but family,
just got them and yourself"
she told me, "just cause we’re shorter
doesn’t mean we can’t be bolder,
bolder than anyone else"
as i would sit on her shoulders
banana bread heated rollers
pancit and pandesal

• Hip-Hop
• Neo-Soul
• R&B/Soul
• Rap
• chill
• jam
• Chicago