[this is for the dark skinned beauties with fresh apple-faced faces
dressed in frilly knitted dresses
facing their dark-skinned mothers
sipping on tea like they were raised to be queens
coated in their dark-skinned skin without a stray
out of line
except for the unperfected edges
[no one but them knows that their mothers‘ combs ruptured in an attempt to tame their mane nappy hair]
this is for the chocolate girls in the midst of their arabesque penché
[for the chocolate girls] whose pigmentation is far too dark to be a principal
there’s not a lot of you out there
but don’t let that break you - we know art, we are art
this is for the chocolate girls on their unrelenting, tiring journey in their juice stained pointe shoes
i can’t wait to see your show]
