PRANEEKA & S.N.-
she's not the same colour
as ivory and pearls
as ivory and pearls
what a shame.
she looks of the night sky
instead of the moon
instead of the moon
what a shame.
she should have stayed out of the sun
she should have done whatever it takes
she should have done whatever it takes
what a shame.
it's a curse
i can't be beautiful
i can't be comfortable
i simply must endure
the mistreatment
the judgment
the criticism
even to dark men
dark girls can't win
even if he's darker than the skin i'm in
to be with a dark-skinned girl is a sin
dark girls can't win
even if he's darker than the skin i'm in
to be with a dark-skinned girl is a sin
in their eyes
i'm only almost pretty
if i weren't so dark
i might be worth
love and appreciation
care and admiration
instead i'm just
tolerated
i want to be taught how to love myself
not to better myself
my complexion
i'm only almost pretty
if i weren't so dark
i might be worth
love and appreciation
care and admiration
instead i'm just
tolerated
i want to be taught how to love myself
not to better myself
my complexion
not a definition of my character
my accomplishments
my being
my accomplishments
my being
my skin
the color of a chestnut seed
coffee with no cream
dark toffee
bubbling caramelized sugar
earthy mahogany wood
coffee with no cream
dark toffee
bubbling caramelized sugar
earthy mahogany wood
my identity
much more
than the pigment of my skin
than the pigment of my skin
on the outside
you're porcelain
frost
cotton
i'm cocoa
buckwheat honey
gingerbread
buckwheat honey
gingerbread
on the inside
we're both
we're both
nothing but blood red.
illustration credit: almondmilkchild