Mosaic

My smile's worn wide to camouflage the pain simmering deep down on the inside Illusion shattered by the frustration that overwhelms me and prompts tight lips to split and purge bitter words that are as cold as ice Compelled to defend the God-gifted beautiful brown skin encasing the transparent soul that abides within For I am surrounded by discriminates who brutally criticize my too dark skin, my too nappy hair, my lips too full, my curves too wide In their subtle conscious attempt to suffocate my ancestral pride and coerce me to conform to the majority, to compromise, to consent to the status quo established by a society whose standard of beauty is reflected in the images mirrored in magazines and on t.v. Even though none of them resembles me, yet...... I am expected to affiliate myself with what that humanity declares I should be But this too dark skin, this too nappy hair, these full lips too full, these curves too wide, represent the pieces of my ancestral pride So, you can take it or you can leave it! I REALLY don’t give a damn! I am who I am and I be who I be. I will display it, portray it, and embrace it enthusiastically Because I can only be me Copyright © 2012 [Paula R. Bell]. All Rights Reserved