different

old fashioned
i'd say racist.

colors are beautiful
shades abound
black
white
brown
caramel

everywhere you look a new shade appears

color defines us
color rules our lives
we are
sorted
seperated
judged

love of culture runs deep
washed out skin-
can't understand
isn't the same
shouldn't be trusted

family norms.
excess baggage,

we are branded by our shades.
we can not escape.
they never leave us alone.

it shapes our lives

you can not hide from it
nor change.

we spend all our time saying:
you just don't understand what it's like to be...

i know how it feels to be different.

if you only look at the color of my skin-
you will never know me.