I Will Always Be Black

In the way the sun bounces off my skin and illuminates my face

In the way my hair points towards the sky, the stars, and outer space

I'm distinctly different

I can't lead, I can't breathe, I have needs

I was told I could be whatever I dreamed

But little did I know, the ceiling would be low

So no matter how much I'd grow and no matter how far I'd go

There'd always be a tension

My intention is to love and to embrace

As a child, I never saw the colour of my face

I heard the sound of my mother's voice

I still remember how it feels

That's the sensation I wish to give

When from, the mouth my heart speaks

I'm distinctly different

In the way the glimmer of the moon dances upon my skin

To make my glow apparent

In the way my hair points towards the sky, the clouds

It's different, I'm distinctly different

I've tried to avoid it, I've tried to change

I've been less noisy, I've been less strange

To be Black, to be British, both a struggle and a fact

But there comes a point when I can't hold it back

I can pretend to be completely British, but I'll always be Black