Paint my skin any colour but black
Cause if they see
Cause if they see
Cause if they see
They will know
That my ancestors were dressed in chairs
That lash marks are within the fibres of my skin
Paint my skin any colour but black
Because when they see me
They won't know that slavery put the D in my DNA
Paint me purple, blue, green
I beg you
Paint me so that my skin could fit in your white framed world
Paint me so that all the rejection put onto my skin would turn into compliments
Paint me so that my ancestors who sang freedom would see freedom in a can of bleach and who you are isn't good enough
Paint me so that when my babies are seen my identity is almost exposed
And after paint them too before their classmates learn colours and start referring to them as the class pet black mamba
Paint me purple, blue, green
Paint me any colour that would make me fit enough to clean your shoes.
-Shonel Lunkuse
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