I have never felt so scared to exist
Not just in this place
But in this body
Brown body shaking
Brown body breaking
Brown body, don’t give up now
My brown skin is a battle ground
Trampled on by the mass media stampede
My hue starts to darken in your mind
I cry, I say it's demonization
You say it’s just the dirt from their shoes
My last name held captive in your mouth
It tries to escape
But comes out butchered
Pushed past the point of recognition
The mangled noise coming out of your mouth
It is no longer my own