"You're pretty, for a black girl"
Oh really?
Well, Fuck you.
Fuck you and your sorry, ass-backward,
"You're pretty, for a black girl"
Or
"You're pretty, to be dark-skinned",
compliments
Why must my pumpernickel flesh be a curse?
Why is my beauty defined by my skin?
And why is my beauty being lessened?
Because my melanin is of a higher content?
"Why are you mad? I said you're pretty, for a black girl."
NO!
I'm goddammit beautiful
This gorgeous chocolate skin God draped me in
This "Devils food cake batter" brown skin my ancestors passed down to me
And I will not let you demean my glory
You can't make me ashamed because my beauty comes in a darker shade
I will dance in the sun like my ancestors did
Like a piece of licorice,
People find my skin hard to swallow
And before I knew blackberries were sweeter
I thought my melanin was a bitter reminder that I was only pretty "enough" because I'm still a black girl with dark- skin
But no longer with those backward ass compliments be sufficient or tolerated
This dark and lovely skin I'm in is not a sin
And it won't be your fetish
Won't be something you had to try
And it damn sure won't be my curse
It is not an anchor
Holding me down in a sea of low self esteem
Because my dark skin,
Is a direct line to royalty
Dating back to Queen Nefertiti herself
I
AM
BEAUTIFUL
WE
ARE
BEAUTIFUL
Black girls,
My sweet, chocolate sistas
You're not defined by your skin
But I know it's what the world sees first
And every ounce of melanin,
Every inch of of you,
Every shade,
Is a beautiful wrapping to the beauty trapped within you
Because our beauty shines from with in
Black girls,
My blackberries,
Mocha colored,
Dark skin,
Pumpernickel,
Licorice,
With skin deeper than unsweetened coffee,
Sometimes toffee,
Caramel,
Or thick sweet molasses
Our flavor,
Is ALWAYS sweet
And you are wine fine
Glasses of merlot
Wear your dark skin as you would a crown
Love it and love you
Earthy brown skin
Mother Nature birthed you
Our dark skin is not a curse
Or a burden
It is a BIRTHRIGHT
It is a BIRTHRIGHT
It is a BIRTHRIGHT
Dark-skinned girls,
You're beautiful,
No matter what they say...