Mom was the color of white sand
You were the color of the earth
When it came to my skin
I was reflection of her
But when I wrinkled my face
A smile or a frown
I was a mirror image of you
As time went on I noticed
How differently you were treated
I never understood why
Until I grew up and realized
You were unable to do what the rest of us did
Camouflage
It broke my heart in two
As I grew I made a decision
To become radiant enough
To blind those who
Would look upon you with distaste
And so I began
Turning my clenched fists into polite words
Turning my angry tears into charming smiles
Turning your broken words into poetry
I planted a seed of doubt
Made them question what they saw
And what can't be explained
Fades into the background
And it was in this way way
That I protected you
Like you always have me
But no matter how much time passed
When we are alone
In the fortress of our home
Your scars still make my blood boil
The words they used against you
The ones you so casually brush off
Make me see red
And through your face which is so much like mine
I am reminded time and time again
That when I bleed, it's brown

Old man, you don't know me
You only know the shadows I let you see
Old man, you don't know me
Only the parts that I let free

You see a mask,
Assume it false.
I fake being sad,
I fake the tears staining my cheeks.
In a world being consumed by flames,
My wide mouth devoid of words
Dares to steal attention
From the more pressing matters
Because I believe I matter more.

The plastic hides a face,
A face that "is faking being sad,"
A face that "just wants attention."

Now, now, aren’t you confused,
Because you gave that face everything it needs
And everything it could ever want.
Maybe money can buy love,
but it also buys plastic.

Now this---
Is no mask.
It's my skin.
Shiny, fake, and hard.
It’s not covered in plastic;
It has become plastic.