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Black on both Sides

Tales of a dark boy.

By Joe PattersonPublished 4 years ago 1 min read

Who am I? A young Black male. My history has been a mystery for centuries in a mental penitentiary.

After dusk, I’m darkest at night, but during the daytime my skin shines bright.

All my life they said I had a way with words, but this couldn’t save me from being profiled and slurred.

I’m unheard like the hollowest sound, every time I’m in a store I get followed around.

Though I won't say life got harder, people always made fun of me because I was darker.

Though brutally honest I still state facts, straight facts that make the world hate me and wanna throw me on the train tracks.

People told me that my S-K-I-N was a S-I-N, but I don’t fret, I grin, because God in Heaven said no matter what, I win.

I got older and saw I was a cutie. The darkness of my skin tone is what perfected my beauty.

No matter how cruel the world of flesh may seem, I’ll always be the glory of my ancestors dream.

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About the Creator

Joe Patterson

Hi I'm Joe Patterson. I am a writer at heart who is a big geek for film, music, and literature, which have all inspired me to be a writer. I rap, write stories both short and long, and I'm also aspiring to be an author and a filmmaker.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  3. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  1. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

  2. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

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Comments (2)

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  • KJ Aartila3 years ago

    Gorgeous - you and your words! 😁

  • Excellent Joe... Absolutely excellent. You have a natural way of communicating your thoughts with creativity and intelligence. This is an exceptional poem. Great job!!!

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