The Betrayal of Blackness

Hues of darkness,

Silenced in spaces where God is a witness.

This veil,

Unmasks their fear,

…it is of more than my Blackness.

An enigma,

Or a double threat?

We meet,

In lecture rooms, hallways, office spaces,

Where pleasantries capture paternalism,

Dialogues result in silent duels,

And I have taught myself to remain armed.

To only speak on race,

They indulge me when I do,

As they undress me with their words,

Picking apart the cotton that wraps around my head,

As if it were wrapped around my neck.

I often speak on race,

But my skin betrays me.

Written by Dr Muna Abdi