Brown Skin: Poems of Reflection, Encouragement, and Inspiration

By Portia Leonard

This book is a compilation of poems written to reflect the diverse experiences of people with melanated skin. As I witnessed resurfacing historical wounds of racism, bigotry, and social unrest, I was prompted to write poems that focused on how we managed to thrive and survive against all odds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663249357

Portia Leonard

Portia Leonard has worked in the field of speech pathology for 30 years. She was born and raised in Waynesboro, Georgia, but presently resides in North Augusta, SC.

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Copyright © 2023 Portia Leonard.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-4934-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-4935-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022923801

iUniverse rev. date:  01/24/2023

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the legacy of my grandparents, great-grandparents, and great, great-grandparents.

Grandparents

Rosa Lee Burton Opeyi

John D. Burton

Naomi Carnegie Leonard

Wesley Presley Leonard

Great grandparents

Alma Dean Chandler Hart

Willie Robinson

Savannah Carnegie

John Carnegie

Elfeta Rogers

Albert Leonard

Great-Great Grandparents

James Chandler

Delia Chandler

Contents

This Brown Skin of Mine

Skin Sacrifice

Kissed by The Sun

Skin Color

Brown Is the Flavor

Brown skin Country Gul in the Kitchen

Red Bone

The Blacker the Berry

Brown Sugar

Dear Brown Skin

Resilient

Angry Black Woman

Crooked Crown

What Cha Call Me?

Giving Honor

Reminisce

Blakeney Street

Going to the Hood Store

Juke Joint

Praise House

Solitude

There is a Sound

Freedom

History Lesson

Teach Your History

Justice For Y’all

Bus Ride

Signs

Appearance

There is a Foul Odor in the Air

Wound

Life Matters

Jim Crow Isn’t Dead

Strange Fruit

I Can’t Breathe

Is History Repeating Itself?

Untitled

Walking the Line

X

Sticks ‘n’ Stones

There is Blood on Your Hands

In the Darkness of