Right Country, Wrong Skin
My mother has green eyes
They still call me a negro
She has straight hair too
But they still call me a clicker
My father has skin that’s black like cocoa
They call me an N.L.B.
He’s got eyes the color of soil
But they still call me snow-white
Some tell me to ignore it
How can I?
I can’t even fill out two boxes on a standardized test
We’re sorry, you can only check one
Oh, that eyeshadow doesn’t go with your eye color
Uhm, that lipstick does not match your skin tone
Oh, okay can you find me a product that matches my every feature?
I don’t think so
Then get the hell out of my face, and let me choose what I please
Pardon me for not being what you want
Oh my god, does that white woman have two black kids?
Did he kidnap those two white angels?
Oh child, why don’t you relax your hair? It wouldn’t be so nappy lookin’
Why did you straighten your hair? You’re not one of us, stop trying to be
My hair draws attention
White people wanna touch it
Black people wanna change it
My lips are too big, my skin gets too ashy, I can’t get a date because my skin tone’s too nasty
I was never asked if I wanted copper skin
I was just born into a world, where I can’t possibly fit in
My skin is to light or my skin is to dark
And every day that tears me apart
Regardless I am strong, and I know you can’t tell
But my behind my smile my skin makes my life hell