Creative Writing

BEAUTIFUL BROWN GIRL 

Beautiful brown girl,
Why do you cry so? 

Is your crown of curls to heavy to hold? 
Does your articulated tongue not fit the mould? 
You’re told ‘If I heard you on the phone I would’ve never known you were a 

Beautiful brown girl’ 
As if that’s meant to be a compliment? 
Meant to give you a sense of accomplishment? 
What should you sound like exactly? 
All other races sound the same apparently,
And the fact that you sound like them,
Does it bring a smile to those faces? 
As if the way your lips contort to create sound render you non threatening in shared spaces 

Beautiful brown girl,
Does your pigment always heighten 
the difference? 
Assimilation contradict observation?
Or are they ignorant enough to believe that we all talk the same?

Does that also mean we dress the same? 
Like only the same music  
Have only the same interests? 
Shed only the same tears? 

Beautiful brown girl,
why do you cry so?

Does your articulated tongue not fit the mould?
Is your crown of curls to heavy hold? 
Do you not know that they will never know what it’s like to be a Queen in her own right.
Walk into a room and command all eyes,
Like your mother did.
And her mother did.

A long line of mothers who would no doubt forbid you to cry,
So - lift up your chin.
Don’t dare look to the ground.
Destroy the mould. 
Oil your crown. 

Beautiful brown girl,
This isn’t something to cry about.

                                                         - Rumaisa Uddin