shades of brown
A short poem confronting colourism and childhood racism, reflecting on skin tone, painful memories and the complicated emotions behind reclaiming pride in one’s own complexion.
my complexion is better than ever.
a smooth chocolate brown color
but i remember in high school
fellow peers called me blackie.
a majority of african descent
a minority took the piss out of me.
my shade was darker than theirs.
one day i’d had enough.
i retorted back at Colin:
you can’t talk. your daddy so black
you can’t see him after midnight!
childish i know. i felt better. & now,
my complexion is better than ever.
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