My Vitiligo

by Ruby

I look at my arms and see a poison covering me
sneaking up where everyone can see
why is this happening to me?
my mom says I’m special
I say I’m a freak
I’m tired of seeing it week after week
Sometimes when I’m happy
I forget for a minute that it’s covering me
and then some nosey person reminds me
why nosey person did you remind me?
What happened to you?
You got a bad sunburn?
Were you in a fire?

Why would you ask me such a question?
Would you ask a one legged girl where was her other leg?
No way, that would be evil, considered mean
The worst are innocent little children
just wondering, confused by this strange looking person
they feel they have to know a reason
but I guess they are just human beings
wondering, nosey not understanding
the depression they are handing me
on a platter in front of my face
serving up sadness from a lonely place
one you can only know if you slowly watch your skin go
go away turn this awful white
when you would rather go out at night
so no one will see the bright white
the feeling of being the only one in jeans 24-7
is not exactly my kind of heaven
hot and sweaty with these long pants
just so no one gets a glance
I wish I could know why this happened to me
to press a magic button and be set free
to look in the mirror and only see me
people say it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white
they mean race I mean skin color
it doesn’t matter if you’re one or the other
but how about both, right next to each other.

Page last updated on 03/22/2000.