skins aren’t skins
in this world.

they’re

death threats
inked permanently
on your bones
covering your body
with scratches and stereotypes,
bringing bruises and bullets to your head

and the only way to stay safe
is if the ink is white.

skins are signs
to know which ones
will pay the price
if you close your eyes
you will see the color
to marginalize

warped in a wrapped world
do we even see beyond
what pigment we have
or are we
wrapped around a warped world
where pain is really
skin deep.

isn’t it strange?
we live in a world where
the color of your skin
indicates how people
see you and
the darker it is,
the more invisible
you become.

i wish
we were all
color blind.