When You Work for White Folks

By Mark Goggins

WHEN YOU WORK FOR WHITE FOLKS

LIKE MOST ALL OF US DO

THEY WANT YOU TO BE MORE LIKE THEM

AND A LOT LESS LIKE YOU

THEY EXPECT YOU TO SUPPRESS YOUR BLACK PRIDE

AND TO KEEP YOUR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS INSIDE

THEY ACT LIKE WHEN THEY GIVE YOU A JOB

YOU GOTTA DO MORE THAN WORK TWICE AS HARD

YOU GOTTA LAUGH TWICE AS LOUD

AND SMILE TWICE AS LONG

AND SACRIFICE YOUR DIGNITY IF YOU PLAN TO BE THERE LONG

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SIT BACK

AND WATCH WHITES GET PROMOTED

AND THEY EXPECT YOU TO BE SILENT

AND HOPELESSLY DEVOTED

AND THEY DON'T MIND ASKING YOU

TO TRAIN WHITES FOR YOUR POSITION

AND IF YOU TRY TO COMPLAIN

THEY DON'T EVEN WANNA LISTEN

AND IF YOU EVER TRY TO MAKE RACE AN ISSUE

THEN THEY'LL REALLY GET FED UP WITH YOU

THEY WANT YOU TO SEE THEM AS PRISTINE FIGURES

THE LAST THING THEY WANT IS A SPOKESMAN FOR NIGGERS!

AND IF THEY SUSPECT THAT THAT'S YOUR ROLE

YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT THEIR PRIMARY GOAL

IS TO PUT YOUR BUTT OUT IN THE STREET

AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THEM BLACK FOLKS TO SEE

IT'S SAD, BUT THIS IS HOW THEY EXPECT YOU TO BE

BUT I'LL BE DAMNED IF THEY'RE EVER GONNA GET IT FROM ME!