Melanated Trees and Muffled Screams

Nature

Women of color are like nature
Originated from nurtured roots with black magic poured onto them to help us grow
We sprout, our strength already radiating just above the surface
Our skin glistening from the sunlight that shines down on us
Our limbs, the branches of the sturdiest tree meant to hold and love the beautiful scenery that surrounds us
Our legs in place, supporting us, showing we aren't going anywhere
Our hair, the leaves that change as time goes on
Women of color are art
With the splash of melanin that radiates brightness through any room in the gallery
Enough variety in the shades of our skin to add to any painting
Whether you are perfectly pale, or dripping with beautiful darkness
You are gorgeous
Texture flowing from the kinks, curls, and waves of our hair
to our attitudes that make people stop and listen
As you walk down the halls of this museum, you can see how far we've come
We may not be at our ideal place, but we're getting there
So when you look in the mirror, look at how the shade of your skin glows
Look at yourself as the beautiful masterpiece you are
Even the best art has its critics
But the harshest critic is yourself
Once you learn to love yourself
It won't matter who doesn't, because it'll be too hard not to
It'll be too hard not to see the beauty in the words spoken from the lips
that speak nothing but raw emotion and truth brought by the struggles of everyday life
Raw emotion that can only be translated into two words:
Art and nature