Yesterday's Makeup

Eyes closed tightly, battling the ocean of tears that try to flood the pores of my brown skin.
The fixation of my Mac makeup only covers the scars of what he left as a timeless gift.
The unraveling of an aroused love that should not have been awakened.
The mascara that smeared along my face as I wiped away the past.
Each curl of my hair represents the war of beauty seen through my eyes.
I try to comb out the hatred but they snap back, only proving that they're too strong to be taken down.
The hatred that I heard all of my life.
Placing myself on a pedestal due to my lack of chocolate brown skin or because I didn't go to the beauty shop to sit under a dryer after a relaxer.
No. The battle within my flesh was much deeper than what's seen with the naked eye.
Hating the image of the reflection staring back at me.
Brown skin, but not light enough for you and not dark enough for them.
Curls around my face but not down my back.
Too thick to love, but thick enough to fuck.
The tearing away at different pieces of my heart left me sinking in the waters of unfavored love.
Torturing my pores with the foundation of love I never received from you.
Beating my face with temporary beauty to catch your attention and maybe a little bit of your time.
Restless hours of working out and starving myself.
Working more to have the money to purchase the hair you wish was mine.
Staying inside on sunny days to preserve my brown skin in hopes that it'd be yellow one day.
Words flying from your tongue ripped away my soul as you taught me how to clip my wings and sin.
Transforming into the perfect angel for your eyes and your ego.
Worn out from all the love you showered me with, I let my hair down, washed my face off, and exposed myself to the lovely sun.
You aroused my love with no intentions of loving me.
I listened to the voices of hatred who placed me above them when I placed myself among the gravel at a child's playground.
Still battling the oceans of tears that fills the pores of my brown skin...
But I'd much rather purify my soul than pierce my flesh with the stains of yesterday's makeup.