Sounds superficial but that’s where it begins
My skin indicates that I want what they actually covet
They think I see their actions and actually love it
So funny that my skin in their eyes indicates I’m worthless
And that no matter how hard I work I still deserve less
My skin is the first thing they see and then it’s...she’s a lady
They’re thinking I need to go back to Africa or even Haiti
I was born here and raised here but still they ask where your people from
When the truth is my ancestors were Native Americans….where your people from
I rarely if ever feed into the nonsense
But seeing and hearing different viewpoints gets me incensed
My skin color is a point of contention with a certain bunch
They see my skin and they don’t want to punch
They don’t want to shout, taser or spit
They don’t want to choke, yell, or even kick
Shoot ask questions later feels like par for the course
I feel like because of my skin it’s first use force
My skin has spurred debate after debate
My skin has spurred hate after hate
My skin the color because it’s different in hue
Makes me wonder why people do what they do
My skin the color scares away so many individuals
My skin turns law abiding citizens into criminals
Kids see my skin and fear seeps at every youthful age
They see me like a monkey let out of a cage and filled with rage
Ideas that are taught and learned and practiced
All because of my skin, my tone, my blackness
If only people know that for me it hurts immensely
I’ve shed tears and prayed to GOD intensely
My skin when I look in the mirror makes me shake my head in shame
But truthfully who is it that I can blame
Society calls me ugly with every flip of a magazine
In papers and ads women that look like me I ain’t seen
I know what you’re thinking there’s Oprah, Kerri and even Lupita
But what about Shavon, Nilathia and and Liqueda
They ain’t modeling for Vogue, Vanity or Bazaar
Ok ok Beyonce, Rhihanna and Jourdan are
But what about the no names do they exist are they worthy too
I’ve searched high and low, but nah I don’t see em boo
My skin has caused others to say your beautiful
When deep inside at times I’ve felt dreadful
My skin made me scrub until it was raw and bloody
Searching for the whitenes I didn’t want to feel cruddy
My skin the color I thought was ugly when I was child
There was self hate behind my lips even when I smiled
My skin I blamed for bad relationships with men
My skin because of the darkness of it made me a bad girlfriend
My skin guys would say was beautiful and flawless
I believed they were lying and felt nothing but aweless
I’ve been alive for 41 years
And still my skins awakens a plethora of fears
The fears aren’t his, or hers or theirs
The fears are mine at my heart it tears
I read articles about hate crimes based on skin
And wonder if the perpetrator realizes it’s a sin
I see government officials using racist and hateful rhetoric
My skin makes me think that they think I’m a degenerate
My skin makes me wonder if thats why I can’t find a job
My skin makes me wonder do they see me as prob
My skin makes me think twice about posting this online
My skin makes me realize no matter what it won’t be fine
My skin, my skin, my skin
Damn….it’s just color people