Neutral Colors.
I painted my nails yesterday and didn’t shave.
Don’t I look nice?
For the first time in a decade,
I began exploring my femininity
And masculinity
In an attempt to completely erase bigotry
Colors have sounds and I couldn’t be too bright or too loud,
I didn’t want to be a flashing sign or make people squint their eyes
So I chose a neutral color blue,
A hue bold enough to make me feel seen, but calm enough to just be
But under my skin screaming, “Notice. Me.”
I let my hair grow on my pale, white skin
Dancing brown strings holding everything in
My protection of showing myself, my true self
Sheltering my voice and eliminating any kind of noise
I want out
of this closet
It’s pitch black in here.
I want to feel pride of my different colors and shades
Abolishing fear
Casting away death and bringing forth life
I want to be human and right
Not wrong. Not what bigots express.
I want a rainbow of hope over my chest.
No indignity of my body, setting myself aflame
Having each color and shade bringing more to my name.
A burning red fire casting light over shadows
I am free from the wallows
I am vibrant and open and showing my truth
Colors aren’t just for rainbows, colors are in you.
About the Creator
Shelli Armstrong
Queer social worker by day, amateur writer by evening, and sleeping by 10:00pm.
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