by Tashari Ferguson
I may be
on your wall or somewhere
In an art gallery
It’s easy for you to see
my beauty but I went through
Trial and error to get to
where I am now
I was looking for someone
to guide me and paint
a part of my story
But did they use
the right colors?
They were never found
because my vision was different
My scars and mistakes
may be hard to find
But if you look closer
You can see how neatly
My flaws were covered with
My strengths, they’re the watermarks…
You may think my eyes
are glistening from the tears
I cried
But I am filled with joy
Like the cup of wine
in your hand
Doesn’t it make you
Feel good?
My smile shows my gratitude
Even though my heart
Has a black line between it
That curve should be
The reason
Why I got your attention
I’m not a sex symbol, I am a masterpiece
I just want you to see that my love rests
Through my yellow shirt
The vibrant colors of nude and orange
express how I truly feel
The white and blue blurs
Express how many times
I’ve tried to erase my insecurities
You can see that my hand
is bleeding from the pain
As I wave to other people
Letting them in my life
My brown curly hair
Falls beautifully over my forehead
As it is wrapped in a colorful turban
I’ve grown to love myself
Hopefully you get that message
As you glance at me and smile