Being me
Deeper than skin colour
Hidden behind a mask of white
Native blood surges from my soul
Part of a world I can never fully embrace
The real me hidden
The legacy of a proud warrior people
Crushed by the conquest of men white
Drowned by alcohol and violence
Robbed of language, land and knowledge
Left with destruction and pain
I struggle for a place to belong
My cocoon of comfort and security
Strangled by stereotypes and unrealistic standards
Not brown enough to be one of them
Bigotry and hate
I search for acceptance and authenticity
Either I am or I am not
On the outskirts looking in - fragmented
Torn between imposter and real
Trapped in a body white
The journey of becoming life long
Identity ever changing
The search for the uniqueness
Of who I am
Never ending