My skin is a warning.

Your skin is a pass.

My skin says stop.

Your skin says go.

My skin is unwashable, permanent, sewn to your body like a faded scar tissue.

Your skin is clear, visible, transparent, like a fresh plain white T-shirt.

My skin absorbs light.

Your skin reflects light.

My skin tells a story.

Your skin rewrites it.

My skin says open fire.

Your skin says hold your fire.

My skin is a threat.

Your skin is a nurturer

My skin says foe

Your skin says friend.

My skin makes you quiver like an earthquake

Your skin says come with us, you’ll be safe.

My skin is shackled with all this pain, and self hate, and questioning whether my life does              matter.

Your skin is selfish, greedy, spoiled, and being unfair.

Your skin takes away life from others.

Takes away our voices, our souls, our rhythm, our opportunities, and our history.

My skin. My skin. My skin is beautiful.