“An Ode to the Dark Skin Black Girl” by Eliyah Roberts

I look down at my hands

And all I see is dirt colored flesh

I mean my skin is the color of soil

So of course I would know how deep underground I was created

The oils that run through my veins and the copper under my nail beds

Never seem to expire

Because my body is my greatness

And it’s as tough as the indestructible souls that came before me

The golden hues that are painted on my thighs

And the curly cues that were put upon my head for purpose

Have more body than the ocean’s strongest waves and are hotter than the world’s volcanic

lava

Underground I am one with nature With the ruins all around my figure

We got diamonds embedded in our minds and golden mines implanted in our eyes

You can even say we are the golden children

Because us black girls were one of nature’s greatest creations

And I’m talking to the girls with the deep dark skin who hide under the trees

I’m talking about the girls whose words sound like luscious, sweet honey straight from honey bees

I’m talking about the girls whose skin twinkles in the moonlight, it just glitters and gleams

I’m talking about the girls whose skin is smooth as butter, and smells of rich cocoa

I’m talking to the girls whose strides overflow with rhythm, like you can hear a beat in each step

I’m talking to the girls who think like philosophers and speak like engineers, write like artists, and whose singing kisses our ears

I’m talking to the beautiful dark chocolate girls

Because you girls

You black girls

You dark skin black girls

Y’all are beautiful

You are smart

You can do anything