Society Says

Society says

that I will never live up to my true potential

Society built a wall

to keep me from the finish line

of this race called life

Society says

that because of my melanin

I am stripped of the right to finish first

But who is society to say

I am less than

But still, Society says

Society plays games

and for centuries

It has had control

Society is ready

It loves things that glisten

like my teardrops that fall

Because society will always raise the bar

I’m only five foot two

How can I ever reach

If I’m a foot away from

where society says I should be

Society needs to loosen its grip

It’s getting hard to breathe

Society only agrees

to let go if I learn to love me