Permanent Burnt
by Nia McLeod

Had a sporadic moment of brilliance today

This extra-terrestrial brown skin

Bronzed with historical significance

Scarred with repetitive adversity

It isn’t coming off

I once even tried to scrub the color away in the shower

Sink sponge to skin like peeler to fruit

Eager to get to the exquisite prize underneath

Universal acceptance without repentance

Jumped out the shower and

Looked in the mirror and

Still brown

A boy once told me that God burnt me in the oven

I’m starting to believe that’s true