To a Dark Girl

I love you for your browness

And the rounded darkness of your breast.

I love you for the breaking sadness in your voice

And the shadows where your wayward eye-lids rest.

Something of old forgotten queens

Lurks in the lithe abandon of your walk,

And something of the shackled slave

Sobs in the rhythm of your talk.

Oh, little brown girl

Keep all you have of queenliness,

Forgetting that you once a slave,

And let your full lips laugh at Fate!

Gwendolyn B. Bennett (1902-1981)

Keep all you have of queenliness… and let your full lips laugh at Fate!

Peace,

Tenthltr2u

#GwendolynBennett #Poetry