we are more than the sum
of our hides
stretched over strained frames
masking eligibility
our souls howl
when skin becomes
an obstacle to equality
we explore the unchartered
reserves of our righteous indignation
warming our hands by its flames
leaping over
contradictory requirements
milky rationalizations
hide-based checklists
beyond
hoping to find meaning
elsewhere
this wilderness is thirsty
feet that may never touch soft green
calloused by unforgiving jaggedness
maybe, we’ll hear a voice in the desert
perfect acceptance beyond derma
My name is Allyson Bantom. I am an IT professional from the Eastern Cape. I have an interest in literature, poetry and issues of social justice.