The need to please you

I don't know you but I want to make you happy.

You don't know me and you don't care.

I want to make you comfortable,

you couldn't be bothered.

I don't want you to be scared around me.

You still are.

Everytime I see you I smile and say hi

You seldom reply.

When you ask me a question I answer.

Unless you are obliged, you don't care to answer mine.

when you are behind the counter serving me I'm polite

so you don't get stressed by me.

If I was behind the counter you would

talk to me like I am incompetent.

I don't want to come off as a stereotypical black guy.

No matter what I do to please you today,

Every morning I wake up I have to do it all over again!

what life is this?

was I born to please you?

Mr Oyibo?

what is it about you that makes me care so much what you think about me,

care how you feel around me,

is it the stereotypes of my race I see on tv, in the news,

I overhear in conversations,

why do you always finds ways to put me down,

why am I even trying to please you

I'm educated like you,

I have money I don't need yours,

What culture is this that I was born into,

that says yes sir to a stranger like you because of the colour of your skin

and you never care to reciprocate it.

I'm tired, I'm done.

No more hello,

no more caring about how you feel,

you don't want to be convinced, you are happy the way you are.

The way you have things I'm bad, you're good.

Put me down so I can keep being subservient

enough is enough!