A Black Boy’s Question

“I do not date Black boys” he said to me.

My skin has made me unlovable

Racism replaced with preference, “No blacks need apply”

I begin to think, what if I was white? Would you enjoy me,

my alabaster skin, blonde hair and blue eyes?

Oh, how beautiful I would be!

If only my skin were not black I could be loved outside of the bedroom.

What about my black skin is so undesirable in public? Is it the way that I blend into the midnight blue sky?

Is it the way my skin radiates when kissed by the sun?

If I were white would you love me? If you were white would you love you?

As the words slip out of your mouth

“I do not date Black Boys”, I wonder

Is your skin not mahogany? Are your features so different from mine?

But you do not date black boys. You would not date yourself.

I wonder why you would not date someone who looks so familiar to you.

Do you not like your black skin? Are you perceived to be something you are not?

Do they mangle your image before you speak? Do they think you can speak?

Have they taken your pride? Do you covet what they have?

Do you only see beauty in white?

I wonder black boy, who hurt you?