Race
Light Skinned but not White Skinned
“You can be light skinned and black... but mixed people aren’t black.”
“I’m not racist, I gave birth to a black child!”
So... What are you?
I am perpetually fixed in a state of too dark for white,
too light for black.
But it’ll be okay because, to help you’ll say “aw, don’t be sad” and I’ll respond “thanks”
As my mental form takes another crack.
I am someone who will work day and night to better their future
Yet the first thing you’ll question is my skin
I am... your black friend but wait, Angel’s darker
So it’ll be her and we’ll class you as 'use to be in’.
Who knew that my skin colour was a requirement ...?
Like I’m applying for a job.
You’ll ask questions of my family, look me up and down
And ask more, as if I need to prove it.
Too dark for white, too light for black
So somehow I fit in between.
But I don’t recall having limbo as my address
Or asking to move there at seventeen
Or 14, 10, 7 or even at 2 years old
I am that girl whom will skilfully scroll through social media
searching and scanning for answers whilst trying not to recoil. searching for that one bloody answer
“DOES ANYONE GET MY INNER TURMOIL?”
Mum doesn’t get it,
Because mum’s white.
Mum thinks because she had you
She can say whatever the hell, she likes. As do others...
Friends “you’re just white with a tan”
People" “dark skinned people have it harder”
Friends “with that light skin, you can get any man”
People “damn, there’s another martyr”
I am
I am
I am
I am
I am... not trying to disprove the problems of black humans
And make mine brighter
But please... don’t think for a second that mine are easily erased
Because my pigment is lighter.
‘Does anyone get my inner turmoil?
Because I don’t know where I belong.
I can’t tell mum cuz she’ll get sad
And tell me I’m weak and not strong.
I am... a rope, in a tug-a-war game
That no one wants to win
Because in either or category. Black. White.
I don’t really seem to fit in.
What am I?
Human.
In class, I was asked to write a spoken word poem about race to imbed within a dramatic piece that we are doing. funny thing, although nothing to do with class, I had already written one. Want to know how I feel about this particular subject internally?
