Brown Skin
Monica Salazar
You have caused controversy Caused a spark of remembrance As to why light skin hates you, or loves to hate you, or loves you because they are not you... You must be warm, like hot cocao on cold winter nights where hope seems lost to the wind You must be ceremonial, like a feast for the hungry after days of fasting to the gods You must be rich, like the vast lands that carry your color You must be gold, like the sun - heads bow in your brightest presence You must glow, like a full moon- every eye stands in awe of you Brown skin - you must be beautiful because every time you stand in happiness, all eyes cast their gaze and wonder- why? Because for some time, you have felt pain sink into your bones you have either been sexually heightened, harassed and imprisoned or completely forgotten. But you spark chaos into the comos- reminding every star why they wish to be in the skin you radiate in. Reminding earth what you are made of soil & stardust. Oasis & desert. Flor y nopal. Angel and warrior. I love you, brown skin. Deserving of all the love that was taken from you.


Monica Salazar is the founder of Type Away Poetry and she is the author of _Wisdom Looks Good on Her_ , published by Alegria Publishing.