What are you?

What are you?

Asked, not to be mean

But curious

Asked at 8, 10, 14

You mean, who am I?

No, what are you?

What makes you different than I?

Not white, not black,

Head cocked to the side

What are you then?

What makes you the only one in class like you?

What makes you check the “other” box on our test?

What makes you look different than the rest?

What are you?

Asked at 18, at 25, at 30

What makes the whites of your teeth stand out like so,

And the colour orange against your skin,

Pop, radiate, glow

What makes your skin darken like coffee,

When basking in the sun;

And not redden like a rose

What are you?

I’ve been asked a million times over

In the store, on the street

Asked by strangers, without missing a beat

Diversity is not a what

My skin is not a what

I am not a what

I do believe you mean,

Who are you?