"colorism" poems - Hello Poetry

*racism sexism colorism* discrimination over *disability sexuality religion creed class* so many fancy names so many false excuses given to justify the need of the human heart to hate

0

Aug 2, 2015

Aug 2, 2015 at 4:47 AM UTC

blindsight

hate thy brother

*racism sexism colorism* discrimination over *disability sexuality religion creed class* so many fancy names so many false excuses given to justify the need of the human heart to hate

15

Oh black negus. Why do you hate me so much? Noticed I called you by your rightful title. Negus King, Ruler, Emperor Not ***** or ****** The derogatory term originating from the crackers, or ***** the mild disparagement softened by society made to think that it's acceptable. But anyway let's get back to it. Why do you hate me? Is it because of my full lips or my round hips? My low tolerance for ******** The way that my stretch marks are engraved in my skin? Or how the roots of my hair aren't so thin. Is it my naturally sun kissed skin? Even toned complexion? It just can't be my uncanny resemblance to Isis the Egyptian Goddess! So why not praise me for my natural features Why go on one knee for their paid for enhancements Should I react like Angela Basset in Waiting to Exhale? Screaming and shouting while my face is growing pale. But pardon my melanin I was perplexed by this darkness that stared at me in the mirror That stared at me looking in my lovers eyes and taunted me Smiles behind hidden hate they constantly berate my beauty But pardon my melanin My superiority is in my melanin Encased in my skeleton Our ancestors wouldn't like this They would not be proud of that colorism that exist They slander us for our features yet they list after it This systematic thinking has our men slandering us but they won't admit You continue to beat me down yet I am your mother. I am the fruit of this nation. But pardon my melanin So I'll ask again Why do you hate me? We are carved in the same beauty and without each other we can't exist I still remember the first day that we kissed but a few months later you left me for hailey in an unfortunate bliss Melanin filled girls I am here to say You are a queen never be afraid to be seen The brother that disrespect and degrade are absolutely absurd! You are not ratchet bitter or mean Youre a stunning melanin queen So pardon my melanin? Naw enlightened by me melanin.

0

Mar 3, 2019

Mar 3, 2019 at 1:02 AM UTC

chante-hinsey

Pardon my melanin

Oh black negus. Why do you hate me so much? Noticed I called you by your rightful title. Negus King, Ruler, Emperor Not ***** or ****** The derogatory term originating from the crackers, or ***** the mild disparagement softened by society made to think that it's acceptable. But anyway let's get back to it. Why do you hate me? Is it because of my full lips or my round hips? My low tolerance for ******** The way that my stretch marks are engraved in my skin? Or how the roots of my hair aren't so thin. Is it my naturally sun kissed skin? Even toned complexion? It just can't be my uncanny resemblance to Isis the Egyptian Goddess! So why not praise me for my natural features Why go on one knee for their paid for enhancements Should I react like Angela Basset in Waiting to Exhale? Screaming and shouting while my face is growing pale. But pardon my melanin I was perplexed by this darkness that stared at me in the mirror That stared at me looking in my lovers eyes and taunted me Smiles behind hidden hate they constantly berate my beauty But pardon my melanin My superiority is in my melanin Encased in my skeleton Our ancestors wouldn't like this They would not be proud of that colorism that exist They slander us for our features yet they list after it This systematic thinking has our men slandering us but they won't admit You continue to beat me down yet I am your mother. I am the fruit of this nation. But pardon my melanin So I'll ask again Why do you hate me? We are carved in the same beauty and without each other we can't exist I still remember the first day that we kissed but a few months later you left me for hailey in an unfortunate bliss Melanin filled girls I am here to say You are a queen never be afraid to be seen The brother that disrespect and degrade are absolutely absurd! You are not ratchet bitter or mean Youre a stunning melanin queen So pardon my melanin? Naw enlightened by me melanin.

43

abolitionism absenteeism absolutism abstractionism absurdism academicism academism achromatism acrotism actinism activism adoptianism adoptionism adventurism aeroembolism aestheticism ageism agism agnosticism agrarianism alarmism albinism alcoholism aldosteronism algorism alienism allelism allelomorphism allomorphism alpinism altruism amateurism amoralism anabaptism anabolism anachronism analphabetism anarchism anecdotalism aneurism anglicism animalism animism anisotropism antagonism anthropocentrism anthropomorphism anthropopathism antialcoholism antiauthoritarianism antiblackism anticapitalism anticlericalism anticolonialism anticommercialism anticommunism antielitism antievolutionism antifascism antifeminism antiferromagnetism antihumanism antiliberalism antimaterialism antimilitarism antinepotism antinomianism antiquarianism antiracism antiradicalism antirationalism antirealism antireductionism antiritualism antiromanticism antiterrorism aphorism apocalypticism apocalyptism archaism asceticism assimilationism associationism asterism astigmatism asynchronism atavism atheism athleticism atomism atonalism atropism atticism autecism authoritarianism autism autoecism autoeroticism autoerotism automatism automorphism baalism baptism barbarianism barbarism behaviorism biblicism bibliophilism bicameralism biculturalism bidialectalism bilateralism bilingualism bimetallism biologism bioregionalism bipartisanism bipedalism biracialism blackguardism bogyism bohemianism bolshevism boosterism bossism botulism bourbonism boyarism bromism brutism bruxism bureaucratism cabalism caciquism cambism cannibalism capitalism careerism casteism catabolism catastrophism catechism cavalierism centralism centrism ceremonialism charism charlatanism chauvinism chemism chemotropism chimaerism chimerism chrism chromaticism cicisbeism cinchonism civicism civism classicism classism clericalism clonism cockneyism collaborationism collectivism colloquialism colonialism colorism commensalism commercialism communalism communism communitarianism conceptualism concretism confessionalism conformism congregationalism connubialism conservatism constitutionalism constructivism consumerism controversialism conventionalism corporatism corporativism cosmism cosmopolitanism cosmopolitism countercriticism counterculturalism counterterrorism creationism credentialism cretinism criticism cronyism cryptorchidism cryptorchism cubism cultism cynicism czarism dadaism dandyism defeatism deism demonism denominationalism despotism determinism deviationism diabolism diamagnetism

0

May 12, 2017

May 12, 2017 at 12:16 PM UTC

Ru7hl355_Gangsta

"ism"

abolitionism absenteeism absolutism abstractionism absurdism academicism academism achromatism acrotism actinism activism adoptianism adoptionism adventurism aeroembolism aestheticism ageism agism agnosticism agrarianism alarmism albinism alcoholism aldosteronism algorism alienism allelism allelomorphism allomorphism alpinism altruism amateurism amoralism anabaptism anabolism anachronism analphabetism anarchism anecdotalism aneurism anglicism animalism animism anisotropism antagonism anthropocentrism anthropomorphism anthropopathism antialcoholism antiauthoritarianism antiblackism anticapitalism anticlericalism anticolonialism anticommercialism anticommunism antielitism antievolutionism antifascism antifeminism antiferromagnetism antihumanism antiliberalism antimaterialism antimilitarism antinepotism antinomianism antiquarianism antiracism antiradicalism antirationalism antirealism antireductionism antiritualism antiromanticism antiterrorism aphorism apocalypticism apocalyptism archaism asceticism assimilationism associationism asterism astigmatism asynchronism atavism atheism athleticism atomism atonalism atropism atticism autecism authoritarianism autism autoecism autoeroticism autoerotism automatism automorphism baalism baptism barbarianism barbarism behaviorism biblicism bibliophilism bicameralism biculturalism bidialectalism bilateralism bilingualism bimetallism biologism bioregionalism bipartisanism bipedalism biracialism blackguardism bogyism bohemianism bolshevism boosterism bossism botulism bourbonism boyarism bromism brutism bruxism bureaucratism cabalism caciquism cambism cannibalism capitalism careerism casteism catabolism catastrophism catechism cavalierism centralism centrism ceremonialism charism charlatanism chauvinism chemism chemotropism chimaerism chimerism chrism chromaticism cicisbeism cinchonism civicism civism classicism classism clericalism clonism cockneyism collaborationism collectivism colloquialism colonialism colorism commensalism commercialism communalism communism communitarianism conceptualism concretism confessionalism conformism congregationalism connubialism conservatism constitutionalism constructivism consumerism controversialism conventionalism corporatism corporativism cosmism cosmopolitanism cosmopolitism countercriticism counterculturalism counterterrorism creationism credentialism cretinism criticism cronyism cryptorchidism cryptorchism cubism cultism cynicism czarism dadaism dandyism defeatism deism demonism denominationalism despotism determinism deviationism diabolism diamagnetism

216

• because I was questioned for calling Beyoncé a god • because I was told Beyoncé is overrated • because some white lady I don’t know touched my hair before she learned my name at my place of work • because one of my white friends made a joke about crack houses when we were watching fake anime and eating fried dough…in addition to making that joke, he made me uncomfortable • because a white friend of mine agreed with someone who said cis white men are the most oppressed group on my campus • because people still tell me “ALL Lives Matter” and ask me “why isn’t there a WHITE History Month” • because “I don’t see color” is a “less racist” way of saying “that isn’t my problem, so I don’t have to get involved” • because girls “like me” are fetishized • because girls “like me” are seen as the **** of jokes or just the **** • because I’m the only non-white passing person of color in my dominant friend group • because #Lightskinned is still a way to humiliate someone for being fairer skinned and having feelings • because #Darkskinned is still a way to demean someone who is darker than you and painting them as ***** • because colorism exists in every racial group, but no one wants to talk about it • because someone argued why a white person should be able to wear dreads and black people are kicked out of institutions for wearing the exact same hairstyle • because black on black crime is still used as some sort of crevice you try to shimmy yourself through • because somewhere, a white girl is teaching tutorials on how anyone can have an afro, and no one is stopping her • because Facebook exploded when I expressed that I want to be respected • because everybody wanna be a ***** but no one wanna be a ***** • because I didn’t know what to say until I couldn’t stop speaking • because we are twenty days into February and Black History Month hasn’t been mentioned by ONE of my professors • because of ******* course I’m the angry black woman • because I’m essentially the backbone, which means that it’s easy for me to break, right? • because this **** happens to me every **** day of my life and it will continue to happen to me every **** day of my life • because you made it that way • this poem does not have an ending • this poem is the abyss • why do I make it about race? • because this poem can go on and on and on forever • and I’ll still be talking about the same thing ~~a.s.f.

0

Mar 15, 2016

Mar 15, 2016 at 9:24 PM UTC

treeveins

"WHY DO I ALWAYS MAKE EVERYTHING ABOUT RACE?"

• because I was questioned for calling Beyoncé a god • because I was told Beyoncé is overrated • because some white lady I don’t know touched my hair before she learned my name at my place of work • because one of my white friends made a joke about crack houses when we were watching fake anime and eating fried dough…in addition to making that joke, he made me uncomfortable • because a white friend of mine agreed with someone who said cis white men are the most oppressed group on my campus • because people still tell me “ALL Lives Matter” and ask me “why isn’t there a WHITE History Month” • because “I don’t see color” is a “less racist” way of saying “that isn’t my problem, so I don’t have to get involved” • because girls “like me” are fetishized • because girls “like me” are seen as the **** of jokes or just the **** • because I’m the only non-white passing person of color in my dominant friend group • because #Lightskinned is still a way to humiliate someone for being fairer skinned and having feelings • because #Darkskinned is still a way to demean someone who is darker than you and painting them as ***** • because colorism exists in every racial group, but no one wants to talk about it • because someone argued why a white person should be able to wear dreads and black people are kicked out of institutions for wearing the exact same hairstyle • because black on black crime is still used as some sort of crevice you try to shimmy yourself through • because somewhere, a white girl is teaching tutorials on how anyone can have an afro, and no one is stopping her • because Facebook exploded when I expressed that I want to be respected • because everybody wanna be a ***** but no one wanna be a ***** • because I didn’t know what to say until I couldn’t stop speaking • because we are twenty days into February and Black History Month hasn’t been mentioned by ONE of my professors • because of ******* course I’m the angry black woman • because I’m essentially the backbone, which means that it’s easy for me to break, right? • because this **** happens to me every **** day of my life and it will continue to happen to me every **** day of my life • because you made it that way • this poem does not have an ending • this poem is the abyss • why do I make it about race? • because this poem can go on and on and on forever • and I’ll still be talking about the same thing ~~a.s.f.

30

My complexion is too dark, too dark to be viewed as beautiful. He told me that the color of my skin is what makes me appealing, which then makes it a blessing. So I took some time for reflection, as I started to question myself... The blue eyed news reporter, the fair skinned cosmetic advertisement, the tall Scandinavian woman on the bus.. the lack of representation... what was it that they had, that I didn't... The words of my mother became the bullet I so desperately tried to dodge but couldn't ... "save yourself my child and paint yourself white" .. My beauty was not welcome in my own home. My skin I tried to peel off my body .. the diaspora reeked in my veins. My hair that I tried to straighten . My knees that I tried to hide with long socks. My body was tired of hiding. As a result I began to self hate at first grade, until it became the reason of my escape to a place of no return.

0

Dec 11, 2016

Dec 11, 2016 at 6:39 PM UTC

roda-mahmud

Victim of colorism

My complexion is too dark, too dark to be viewed as beautiful. He told me that the color of my skin is what makes me appealing, which then makes it a blessing. So I took some time for reflection, as I started to question myself... The blue eyed news reporter, the fair skinned cosmetic advertisement, the tall Scandinavian woman on the bus.. the lack of representation... what was it that they had, that I didn't... The words of my mother became the bullet I so desperately tried to dodge but couldn't ... "save yourself my child and paint yourself white" .. My beauty was not welcome in my own home. My skin I tried to peel off my body .. the diaspora reeked in my veins. My hair that I tried to straighten . My knees that I tried to hide with long socks. My body was tired of hiding. As a result I began to self hate at first grade, until it became the reason of my escape to a place of no return.

1

Dear America, I’m really disappointed in you. It’s a harsh way to start a letter, I know, but that’s truly how I feel. Our leadership (if you can call it that) has unveiled the deep rooted White supremacy and sexism that this country was founded upon. And that means that there are enough people in this country that feel this way that a man like Trump was able to get elected, that a man like Mitch is able to run the show in Congress. America as the land, it isn’t your fault. You would’ve been happy to never have been invaded, carved up, forced to be witness to slavery and war and watching your beautiful indigenous people die and be culturally erased (in many ways still today). You are beautiful, with your mountains and trees, your beaches and oceans, your rivers and streams. You are ugly, though, with your systemic oppression, kids in cages, Black people shot by police, housing segregation, gentrification, fatphobia, mass incarceration, capital consumerism, transphobia, misogyny, lack of mental health and addiction support, no healthcare for all, no equal right to education without stock piles of debt, and you always make a way for the wealthy and White, but you box out anyone Brown without extra expectations or attempted White washing. You pave ways and repave them, neglecting potholes and broken bridges for those that need, deserve, should have them more. You are the birthplace of internal wars, internalized sexism, colorism, homophobia, racism; you’ve made us hate ourselves as much as you hate us. America, I expected better with the version of you I read in textbooks. But then, that version of you was written by those whose roads were paved with gold, and they profit from its retelling. I don’t like you, America. I don’t know what hope there is for us, but I do know that I love my brothers, sisters, siblings of all genders, colors, and creeds who too want to unravel you, America, and build you back up into something better, something equitable, something for all of us. Maybe there’s hope for you, America. Maybe there’s hope in your (r)evolution. -Meg

0

May 2, 2020

May 2, 2020 at 11:22 AM UTC

megb42290

Dear America

Dear America, I’m really disappointed in you. It’s a harsh way to start a letter, I know, but that’s truly how I feel. Our leadership (if you can call it that) has unveiled the deep rooted White supremacy and sexism that this country was founded upon. And that means that there are enough people in this country that feel this way that a man like Trump was able to get elected, that a man like Mitch is able to run the show in Congress. America as the land, it isn’t your fault. You would’ve been happy to never have been invaded, carved up, forced to be witness to slavery and war and watching your beautiful indigenous people die and be culturally erased (in many ways still today). You are beautiful, with your mountains and trees, your beaches and oceans, your rivers and streams. You are ugly, though, with your systemic oppression, kids in cages, Black people shot by police, housing segregation, gentrification, fatphobia, mass incarceration, capital consumerism, transphobia, misogyny, lack of mental health and addiction support, no healthcare for all, no equal right to education without stock piles of debt, and you always make a way for the wealthy and White, but you box out anyone Brown without extra expectations or attempted White washing. You pave ways and repave them, neglecting potholes and broken bridges for those that need, deserve, should have them more. You are the birthplace of internal wars, internalized sexism, colorism, homophobia, racism; you’ve made us hate ourselves as much as you hate us. America, I expected better with the version of you I read in textbooks. But then, that version of you was written by those whose roads were paved with gold, and they profit from its retelling. I don’t like you, America. I don’t know what hope there is for us, but I do know that I love my brothers, sisters, siblings of all genders, colors, and creeds who too want to unravel you, America, and build you back up into something better, something equitable, something for all of us. Maybe there’s hope for you, America. Maybe there’s hope in your (r)evolution. -Meg

9