Cortez Johnson
A boy doesn’t always love his skin
Some nights he drifts to sleep
And dreams of a world that has never been
He wishes he could say that he imagines a world
That embraces his dark skin
He doesn’t
Instead he conjures a place where he would never cry again
His laugh is brighter
His hair is straighter
His burden lighter.
He dreams of world where he is whiter.
He runs wild in the meadows
He skips in the streets
He tumbles in the classroom
Sings higher than a swallow
Confidently, he doesn’t miss a single beat.
He loves openly. Unabashedly. Fearlessly.
In my youth, I thought I was the problem.
That my skin was wrong.
That my body was ugly
That my love was dirty.
In my youth, I didn’t always love my skin.
If I’m honest, I still don’t
But I’m thankful that today
In my dreams a boy doesn’t change for the world.
The world changes for a boy.
Because he’s worth it.
Because I’m worth it.