Skin

We are skin 

We sweat, we breathe

We sing, we dance 

We laugh, we love 

But we are skin 

Painted

Exposed

Vibrant 

And soft 

We are judged 

Not by the likeness of heart 

Not by the depth of mind 

Or the flavour of tongue 

But by the eye 

The lip 

The collar 

The jaw 

The sinew stretched across our bones 

We are skin 

Pulled tight across cheeks

Carefully primmed and prepped 

Across legs, hips, and chests 

Brushed by razor blades and trimmed with scissors 

But I

I am not skin 

I am blood 

I am sweat 

I am heart, liver, and flesh 

I am stench

I am scars 

I am unshaved jaw and untrimmed lip 

I am tooth and nail 

Cracked under pressure 

I am words 

I am feelings 

I am sleepless nights and summer days 

I am friend 

I am lover 

I am brother 

But I am not 

Skin