Analysis of A Few Shades Lighter



Some bleach, their skin, while others get a tan,
It’s evident that there’s a bigger problem at hand.
We look in the mirror and we don’t like what we see
It’s always what we don’t have that we wish to receive.
What I have isn’t it and who I am isn’t enough,
so being confident in this world is a little more than tough.
 I got mad when I looked too dark and happy when I was light.
Sad when I saw someone lighter than me and proud when I saw someone darker than me.
This skewed way of thinking was me for about three years
because the whole definition of beauty just wasn’t clear.
But dark skin is glowy.
Dark skin is bright.
Dark skin reflects that radiant light.
Dark skin is lovely.
Dark skin is precious.
 Dark skin is powerful and dark skin is my family.
We were made to see color and recognize beauty,
but that beauty fades quickly when the broken heart inside of it is prejudice and discriminates.
Dark skin rejects envy, because it doesn’t make space for negativity.
 So when they say you’d be prettier if, or you’ll be prettier when
No
I’ll be pretty when I love the skin that I’m in.


Scheme ABCDEEFCGHIFFCJCCKCLMN
Poetic Form
Metre 1111110101 1100110101011 1100100111111 111111111101 111110111101 1101000111010111 111111110101111 1111110110111111011 1111101110111 0101010110111 11111 1111 110111001 11110 11110 11110001111100 101111001010 111011010101011111000010 11011001111110100 11111110011111001 1 111011101110
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 1,123
Words 226
Sentences 15
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 22
Lines Amount 22
Letters per line (avg) 38
Words per line (avg) 10
Letters per stanza (avg) 846
Words per stanza (avg) 209

About this poem

A poem about colorism

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Submitted by maryahkaden on February 27, 2023

Modified on March 14, 2023

1:07 min read
1

Maryah Byrd

My name is Maryah Byrd and I am in high school. I love to write because it helps me express myself and inspire others. more…

All Maryah Byrd poems | Maryah Byrd Books

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