My Sister's Veil [Paperback]

K C. Marshall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 23, 2011

PREFACE

MY SISTER'S VEIL(a poem)

Toni's Veil:
A beautiful face is never enough
To guarantee love, success, and trust.
Torn and conflicted by what they see and say
Maybe they're right
It's better their way.
They always win,
So of course we would choose
To perpetrate a look
That will never lose.
I'll just take it to the twelfth degree
So it appears self righteously
To be me.
So bury the mirror,
And who you really see.
And bury the hatred
Of who you really be.
Then it's easy to forget the grief
And promise yourself
You can become
A respectable
Thief!

Terri's Veil:
Restless and young
With nothing to lose.
Thrown into your world
Unblemished, unbruised.
Ready to grow, and trust and learn,
But guns fill your hands before you discern
The value of life, community and respect
A simple way to mask your intellect.
Apprentice of self-destruction,
A king with no crown
Frustrated and confused,
By the systematic run around.
Yet a gnarly lesson awaits to prove
It's by your own hand
You win or you lose!

Tina's Veil:
Abandoned and ashamed
Afraid and unloved
I hid my pain
As innocently as a dove.
The Lord answers prayers
So invisible I'll be
'cause my blllack and nappy
Embarrasses thee.
If only but
For a genuine veil,
I'd lose myself
In self-medicated hell.
But no need to worry,
No need to fret
Their 'yaki' hair and blue contacts
Are easy to get.
Spare not a dime
For value and worth
Designer labels and gold
To our pride gives birth.
So strut on high, and lively, and proud
As you die slowly
With a legacy
Broken and loud!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

K.C. Marshall is a free lance writer. She began writing at an early age, and enjoys writing in three different genres-Fiction, Non-Fiction, and poetry. My Sister's Veil is the first of her triquel including Mother's Prayers, and My Brother's Crown..

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Xlibris (July 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1436325684
• ISBN-13: 978-1436325684
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,031,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!!!, December 3, 2009

By 

tye overcome (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Sister's Veil (Paperback)

I was extremely surprised to find the story line and characters of this book so well defined and compelling. As an African American man, who does not usually read fiction, I was most satisfied to find three GOOD black men and three strong black women in this novel, breaking the traditional barriers and sterotypes. K.C. Marshall takes us into the root of some very deep, long seated issues in the African American community, and as we watch the characters struggle, motivates us to reach beyond our comfort zone to succeed. It is a book for all cultures and times!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book left me breathless!!, June 29, 2010

By 

Stacey Pierce - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Sister's Veil (Paperback)

This book displays the courage of three African-American women traveling along their journey through life. These women own similar characteristics that hinder success--self-destruction, self-hatred and substance abuse. These three characteristics cripple a soul forcing the negative self-image to prevail planting the seed in the cycle of poverty. This book left me breathless but refreshed on some level. The issues the author addresses are some that I feel personally affects the current status of African-Americans in our society today.

If one doesn't own self-love they will not succeed. In order to become successful one must first believe that they are worthy of success. I found myself getting lost in each page holding my breath at times waiting for the outcome of each woman's journey. I also became angry at how real each story was. We, in the African American community, hinder our success and the success of others by continually owning self-hatred. When we place value on the color of skin or hair texture rather than on character and integrity the results are disheartening resulting in violence, poverty, substance abuse, etc.

Each character faces racism in the larger society but also within their communities and families. However, they all become empowered and succeeded despite their circumstances. The author allows the reader a brief glimpse into life behind the walls at the Whittenhall. The characters and the baggage--stories-- they come with are very real. Ms. Marshall paints a clear picture of how things are and what is expected behind the Whittenhall Wall. In our society, life for some begins and ends behind a wall similar to the Whittenhall as they feel they deserve nothing more. They don't acquire necessary strength to tackle that wall. Whereas in other cases, people use all of their power--education, desire and will--to climb out of their situations creating a better life for themselves. These three women did just that.

The veil is a metaphor of the importance of knowing your true worth and value. When you believe that you come from greatness then you believe that you deserve the best that life has to offer. I highly recommend this book for all people, however, feel it will have its greatest influence on young women despite the color of their skin. When we teach young women to love and respect themselves they end up demanding it in their lives. This book is phenomenal and I hope the author gets the praise that she deserves for addressing serious issues in such a gripping way. As in life, each character has their own voice and I heard them loud and clear... bravo!

4.0 out of 5 stars More than a collection of stories, July 28, 2010

By 

Joy Webster "School Library Tech and author" (Quebec City, QC Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Sister's Veil (Paperback)

This is a collection of stories of some strong African American women who, like any human being, make some wrong choices in their lives. Unlike many of their neighbours, these women learn from their mistakes and, with the help of other strong women, rise above their circumstances.
Marshall goes beyond a simple telling of their stories. Through the stories, she examines the role that society in general (including the African American community) plays in perpetuating the cycle of poverty, and opens the reader's eyes to the underlying issues. A must-read for anyone interested in Black Studies, Sociology, Women's Studies, or any related subject.