Little Black Girl

Darkness is thrown as a shard of black light
across a pale dawn sky.
The sun dare not rise, the moon
claims what once was forbidden
as black-night becomes dark day.

Birds sing through its nighttime
and owls hoot throughout the day,
for what once was normal
is absent–
by an idea that's developed
from a film so pronounced,
by a little white girl dressed in black.

Now shadows lay broken
by dappled light trampled,
and eyes unchanging
remain black
like stars shining
and dark like day dawning
in the face of a girl; porcelain white.

For she likes herself better
in this image that is false,
where her skin is the colour of paper.
Her misguided shame has veiled her beauty,
has tainted the perception of others.

For the frosting that's white now has melted,
revealing a reality of black beauty.
Letting stars shine at night – not consumed by white lime-light,
for that little black girl’s shame has been shattered.