I am a transient, a floater
Beneath the sun and the moon
Can you tell that I am but a mask?
Living duel lives but you'll never tell
for I glide unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of the world
You recognize me as a member of your society, an equal,
But beneath my skin, rich culture flows through my veins.
I shine in the light of a life of possibilities
that were not opportunities presented before.
As I pass from the world of the shadows to the world of the free
I am no longer weighed down by the weight of the chains.
Oh, but I am, I am reminded every dawn;
I am reminded that with this choice
there is an active part of me that I must sun;
How can I neglect to see myself?
The eternal internal war rages.
Why must I be forced to choose between
equal parts of myself, between "separate but equal" stages,
both within the same auditorium of my mind?
Who am I but a face among the crowd?
A face labeled by one of two contrasting colors.
How do I explain that I am both in this judgmental town?
Yes. I am both. But neither one dominates the other.
I am not but one dull color.
I am a myriad of brilliance:
A rainbow to be recognized after the rain and the storm;
I am God's apology and promise of the good to come.
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This piece shows creativity in that I write from the perspective of a mixed race woman much like the main character in Passing by Nella Larsen. I find it engaging in that it forces the reader to think about African American history like I intended because I wrote this for a project for my class but I liked it so much I felt I should share it.. This shows growth in that I hadn't written a poem before where I write from the perspective of someone who is another race than my own... I hope nobody takes offense in that.
