Stripped Skin
by Safiya Khan
my black sisters and brothers cannot strip out of their skin
and peel it off like a bodycon suit
they cannot lift their blackness off
the way I can lift my hijab
put it in my drawer and
disassociate from all the stereotypes about my faith.
thrown into the cauldron,
they have no choice but to fight the war,
not just the battle.
their allies can come and leave fleetingly,
but they must remain.
so I dig a hole in the ground,
step with both feet in it,
pat the dirt dry around me,
and root my place in the plight along with them.
just as I stand up for myself,
I will stand up for all
forever and always.
In the Write Blog 