There is not much to say
With pursed, thin lips.
No reason, I suppose, to complain,
Except I can't wrap my pen around that ev'ryday talk,
No prejudice in, or against, my colourless skin,
And the deep roots of my history a burning shame.
Instead, my people share a glut of too much done,
Too little said.
If I could fire with sassiness
And pride at my emerging strength,
Or pout my lips, half close almond eyes;
If I could beckon into the mirror-work
In a cloud of vibrant silks and coffee-coloured smiles
I would.
But instead we'll watch by the side,
We middle-class suburbonites
And pasty chavs, we faceless clumps
Adrift in a cultural decline.
The white woman's burden is mine.
Author notes
I've been living in London for a while now. Yesterday, I watch enviously some thin, beautiful Italian girls and thought with a pang how I wished I was a beautiful european in a foreign metropolitan - to have that mystery that draws people in. That got me thinking about poetry. There are so many brilliant poems about cultural identity, written in celebration of a thousand beautiful shades of skin, but I cannot recall a single poem written about specifically the cultural identity of the white woman. So I wrote.
This is in no way meant to have any racist connotations. If you think it does please believe me, you have read it wrong. Nor is it meant to trivialise in any way the experiances of other races. I appreciate I've made some stereotypes here, but there was stylistically deliberate - drawing from cultural poems I could recall. I feel, in terms of written poetry about identity, the white experience is very much in a decline. Just my thought. If you've written a poem about your own cultural identity, please link to it in your comment on this piece - I would love to read it.
Written May 27th, 2005
In a list
What did you think
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
-
Two weeks behind in comments on favorites...forgive me...been in a slump...
with all the nice comments...sighs...may as well be one sour apple in the barrel...that be me...
'...Adrift in a cultural decline.
The white woman's burden is mine...'
I don't see 'us' 'in a cultural decline' not in the least. I do see an emphasis on cultural diversity an almost 'forced' imposition of cafe' mocha in beauty mags and tv shows.
But I offer that the 'standard' of beauty remains that pristine caucasian skin with symmetrical features and the stature and bearing that only a 'western woman' can have as her culture dominates the civilized world.
Thank you for your thoughts...amicus...the bad apple...
-
wow,ive never seen a poem like that, goood write
-
Oh my goodness, your poem and beautiful comments just brought tears to my eyes!! Thank you sooo soooo much! Love ya sister! xxxxx
-
YOU, a milk colored allure
Are beautiful for sure
Your skin as pearly reflections
Is but a surface detection
For insidee we are as one
Kinship, sisters that glow in the sun
Your surface tone displays itself in flowers
That garden of colours is all of ours
I stand in saying that you are beauty too
White woman of skin, I do love you!
Renee ♥
Woman are God's most creative allure, you my sister are beautiful, just as beautiful as each woman that allows herself to be. I mean damn gurl, your author page picture is stunning. You need a poem of recognition, ther you have it!
Love Ya! ♥
-
Beautiful, beautiful poem. Enjoyed this.
-
wonderful!
to me,women are all creatures of beauty, most with reservoirs of strength that rarely (but almost always (i know. a seeming contradiction there)) gets called upon. unfortunately women are the load carriers (but they do it with such grace and lack of self concern...a couple of real sterotypes there, but that's how i feel...or at least how this lovely poem makes me (no. let's me) feel). i'm sorry. i'm rambling. i really loved this. -
You know though how many of those men in England have looked at you and thought wow, she is life.. I would.. But then I am a Redhead like you and I find we are rare with bottle ones now a days.
... Take Pride in yourself lovely one.. For you are indeed a Beauty... Catressa 
-
Well done.
You know we think and see a beautiful woman and think well I wish that I could be her but then we see our own beauty and it shines. No offense here because I wonder sometimes if others realize that women are women and we all have feelings of doubt and want to know who we are as people. -
We all tend to dream of being something, somebody or a different ethnicity that we are not. I do not believe there was any predjudice within the write..............Just clear observations that you perceived..............There are so many differences between us all........I am Italian but in America I was born..........so........what does that truly make me????????
Unknown to myself.......I just have the look that you described but of a culture I do not know.........A wonderful look into the white womans burden.........
Leance
-
I may be prejudiced, but I happen to think that all women are beautiful and have their own unique allure. It just takes the right man, or people, to recognize that and trust me... they do and will. You are as beautiful as you feel! *hug&
♥ Kimberly -
it is hard to fit in with other people of different races sometimes, expecially when tehy are not accepting of you. i realise how you feel, some of it anyway. i go to a school whcich is situated in a town where a lot of aboriginals (dark people) live, and i am white, it is hard to fit in anywhere. especially in melbourne (not sure of where you live, but melbourne is the capital city of victoria, australia) a lot of people from other origins have migrated to this city and therefore everywhere you go and look you will find people of other races, you sort of get lost in culture. but i am blabbing on now, so if i could applaud this i would, but i ran out of thingy's for today. great write though, im feeling your pain
Adding your comment:
1 - 11 of 11
4 old applause
