A Painting Without Color

This poem was written for an assignment in my lit and culture class. We were told to answer a few questions. We had spent the semester talking about cultures both within and outside of the United States. This poem was my reaction to the whole semester, and specifically the questions I was asked. I hope you enjoy!

A Painting Without Color

 Me make a change?

no.

I’m just a white woman.

Nobody respects me.

I’m a majority.

And people are acting like that’s a bad thing.

I feel like people see the majority as a negative place to come from.

like chicken breast, or bleached flour.

We’re too common.

Too standard

and through our commonality

we lose our original richness.

All the Navajo women with their scholarships

and their rich-colored skin.

The Asian girls with their beautiful brown eyes

and their rich hair.

I am colorless

I am blond hair

I am blue eyes.

I cannot make a change

because  I do not stand out.

Am average in height

average in weight

I am nothing special.

I am in the majority.

I was raised in suburbia.

white Neighbors,

white house,

white car,

white dog

white fence,

and in the winter:

a white yard.

Mom and Dad had the American Dream

I feel the world wants to make me extinct.

I feel like they think the majority needs to die

and make room for the minorities.

My dad is an artist.

I have always thought color was fascinating.

My solution to world peace is a painting

Everyone needs to look at my painting

and see that if it were all one color

all one people,

it would not be beautiful

but with each part,

each race

each religion

each orientation

Each part of this whole that we call a world

that is what makes it beautiful.

White is fine,

but to me it seems like such a blank canvas.


Thanks!
-PenningJade