Pretty Brown Girl

She sits in the room, with nothing to say,

The kids make fun of her features and hair

And she wonders, why they treat her this way?

When ‘all men are equal’.. And it’s not fair

They’re shocked that she’s proper, really smart too.

She doubts herself, crushing her confidence.

And ‘with that hair, she belongs at the zoo’

She stops- and remembers her competence

‘To hell with their comments and lies!’ she screams

She knows her value is above rubies

She’s living her life and chasing her dreams!

Her melanin glows, effortless beauty

Embracing her culture- She is free

This phenomenal brown girl? She is me.