Skin Deep ... a poem

Skin Deep

Look in the mirror. Stare, don't blink.
Trace the contours of your face
with your eyes. What do you see?

Do you see strength in your forehead lines?
Joy in your full, rouge lips
Majesty in your clear, cognac skin
and determination in your carefully arched brows?

When you style your curls, do so with kindness.
Adorn your ears with drops of platinum and patience.
Paint your nails with the liquid hue of honesty.
And lather your skin with sweetly-scented love.

Passerby's will see your physical beauty.
But the discerning will notice your character.

Look in the mirror. Stare, don't blink.
Study the essence of your entire reflection.

How do you feel? What do you see?

~cdw~
05/22/12

Your Name ... a poem

Although it has taken me about 3 months to control my anger and emotions enough to write, I'm glad I waited and didn't write out of frustration. Trayvon deserves my best. And now that time has passed and his plight is no longer the top story in the media, it's all the more important that this poem publishes now.

Read. And remember. ~cdw

Your Name

Let me write your case to justice
since your neighbors ignored your screams.
Let me pen your life immortal
since a gunman stole your dreams.
Let him see your bloodied body
in his nightmares every night.
Let him feel remorse and seek forgiveness
in your mother's pain full cries.
Let us recognize complete humanity
in all black American boys like you.
Let us not accept the violent culture
that protects the lighter hued.
And let the God of justice roll like thunder
and shrink us to our knees.
Let the last be first and the first be last
for equality is not our reality.

Let your life not be in vain. 
Let us never forget your name.

Let your spirit dwell though your body is gone.


Remember Trayvon.

~cdw~
5/10/12
revised 5/17/12