hot chocolate.

PRANEEKA & S.N.-

she's not the same colour
​as ivory and pearls

what a shame.

she looks of the night sky
​instead of the moon

what a shame.

she should have stayed out of the sun
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

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

not a definition of my character
my accomplishments
​my being

my skin

the color of a chestnut seed
coffee with no cream
dark toffee
bubbling caramelized sugar
earthy mahogany wood

my identity

much more
​than the pigment of my skin

​
​on the outside

you're porcelain
frost
​cotton

i'm cocoa
buckwheat honey
gingerbread

on the inside

​we're both

nothing but blood red.

illustration credit​: almondmilkchild