Different

The grass always greener?

Different

My niece closes her eyes

Blowing out her candles
Wishing, wishing
She whispers softly

Trying not to be heard

But I hear her words

Make me light skinned 

Make my eyes blue

Make me different.

I see the Caucasian girls 

Spraying on their tans 

Burning in the sun 

Purchasing bronzer 

In the drugstore

Trying to look different. 

The same drugstore 

But in a different location 

My niece looks at hair color

Wonders  would it work

Could she be blond?

Would that make her different? 

Make her happy?

Reviews

[Leigh]

You always want what you haven't got, there is no such thing as the perfect skin tone, there is no happy middle ground, but everyone is edging towards their idea of it....from a magazine or TV.

I like the introduction to this poem and the way its brought in and the relevance of the drugstore, that seems to have a magical status to the innocent ones.

[OBWhiteHawk]

Thank you so much for such a thoughtful comment. Yeah those drugstores that seem to be all over the place, whether in a rich or poor neighborhood, east side, west side, big city, small town. It's one of the things that we have in common, we all go there at some point. I never thought of them as being magical but I see what you mean.

[Marie Anzalone]

A very poignant and thoughtful piece, OB. I was just having a body acceptance conversation here the other day with my student and my best friend, about how different sizes and shapes of body are more accepted and even celebrated here.. but there is such a bitter divide over skin tone- almsot a class system. I have a friend with Latino feautires and dark Maya skin; he is 30 wishes he were lighter. My best friend has classic Maya features and medium skin tones.. he is not accepted because he is too light. He is 47. To me, both men are beautiful for the impact life has left on their faces and souls. It is even harder for women, who cannot be accpeted no matter who we are or what we do. There is such a shame factor around our appearances, it is staggering. If anything, I do feel more accpeted here among the natives, if only slightly.

[OBWhiteHawk]

I know what you mean, among Native Americans its the same, those with darker skin are not as esteemed as those with the lighter skin UNLESS it crosses some invisible "too light" line and then they are accused of not being full blooded Native and blah! Its just ridiculous really. You are right about the shame factor which has nothing to do with who we are and what we do. Just genetics, out of our control.

[Rita L. Sev]

This is a poignant poem - it is so sad that youth desires to be other than they are. You are right - brunettes want to be blonds, blonds want to be redheads, Caucasians want darker skin... and no one is happy with what they are. Buy your niece a mirror. Put it in a frame. And tell her that it is a work of art...
Wonderful piece, OBW.

[OBWhiteHawk]

I like that idea! Wow thanks so much, I think I will do it. Thank you for your awesome review.

[quinfinn]

goes back to the saying "beauty is only skin deep" n'est pas? we all wish to be other than we are at some point in our lives...self acceptance is part of maturity and growth. well penned!

[OBWhiteHawk]

Yeah I just find it ironic that as those with dark skin wish to be light, those with light skin are working to be dark. You are right, self acceptance is something to strive for. Thanks for reading!

[Emily B]

wow, you seemed to have struck a chord, i sat here for a long while just trying to center myself enough to comment

thanks

(i never wanted blonde hair and blue eyes) but i expect there were other things i wanted to be

[OBWhiteHawk]

I can relate to my niece, I wanted to be Caucasian too at one point I think most of us with brown skin do. But we gotta be ourselves. I am grateful that you read this, honored that you commented, awed that it struck a chord for you. :)

[Emily B]

funny story for you sometime, I work with some local 8th graders every year and they say and do the damnedest things :)

[OBWhiteHawk]

Oh yeah I am sure you do have some funny stories working with kids that age! My niece is only in 6th this year but already so conscious of her looks and image.

[Emily B]

my youngest will be in 6th when school starts back