“You’re So White”

By Kayssie K of the Royal Integrity collective in response to Afua Ansong’s poems.

My melanin is not enough to hold my culture.
My tongue has betrayed me between its spills,
Now I’m a new shade of grey
That no one understands.
I am a culturati,
Denied of her passion
Perhaps, I lack rhythm,
My being no longer holds the buzzing hums of my ancestor’s hymn.

My lips have sold their own brother
Like the sons of Jacob,
Now I wear the coat of many colours,
Disdained of my own.

This is a sciamachy —
That my skin cannot conquer.
I will never be
right kind of
Earthy —
To belong.

Royal Integrity is a collective that is dedicated to promote self-love, self-acceptance and self-respect in a world were it’s cooler to hate yourself. We are willing to challenge and silence the voice of society telling us we are unworthy to be heard because we weren’t born a certain way. We have free monthly motivational newsletters to help you get through the month and we are always open for submissions of art, music, written pieces, photography and testimonials of self-love.

Our personal challenge is to shift our audiences perspective, even if it’s just for a second. We want them to see who they truly are, Royalty, Queens and Kings of this generation, ready to conquer and be heard.

Edited by Joyce Chen.

Featured image provided by the artist.

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