A Brown Girl

Is it my brown skin that you don't like?
Or that despite my brown skin,
I stand where I do?

Or maybe you don't like
that I was born a girl
and I was to stand behind
my man while he basked
in all the glory.

But instead, although I am a girl,
I take center-stage
and take the applause
for my life's work.

Or maybe it has nothing
to do with me;
You just have a gnawing wound
and to avoid the pain
you must pass it on.

Or maybe your hate
is a strange itch
that you must scratch
for it will only pause
when I weep because of your deeds.

But this cannot be!
This brown girl
will continue to do her life's work
continue to take center stage
and accept the glory
that is hers.

This glory is her God-given right
hers because she is human
it's her light to shine
regardless of her gender or color.

So stand back my friend
let me in.
This light will shine
wherever darkness looms
and the darkest room
is where you stand.

So I will stand here too.

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