In A Crowd…

A poem by The People Who Inspire Series member Jessica Reese about what she sees as some of the secret injustices that impact interracial relationships.

Grace & Peace,

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In a Crowd

What skin, have you?
It’s soft, like butter, but bronze
It’s favored by the sun
And even mystical,
And ever existing,
And ever noticeable
And I’d taste it if I could
I let it melt on me,
It could caress my tongue if I had it,
I’d consume it,

Behind closed doors.

But in a crowd,
I’d have nothing of it,
I’d shun it
That shadow, however soft, and elegant, and sweet,
I’d ignore it
Because it blocks my light,
My light is better,
It’s purer and more innocent, than your dark
Your dark is blemished, and tarnished,
And hidden, under its thick warm coat

In a crowd…

But behind closed doors,
I’d cherish it
I can’t believe it,
Is it real?
Can I touch it?
May I hold it?
For a night?
It’s so different from mine,
But mine,
You know, is superior,
Yours is just beautiful, because it’s different,
But I’m afraid of different,
So I choose neutral, or pallid, or pasty
Because your silk, murky, skin
It perplexes me,
And when I’m confused, I have to offend,
Pretend, that I don’t love it,
Because it scares me,
How could it sprout from dust, and transform into sweet rock?
How does it do that?
How come it doesn’t stretch with age?
It’s still as contained, as dense, as smooth,
As how it came
Can you tell me your secret?
But, behind closed doors of course,

Because in a crowd…