The poem points out the social hypocrisy in the appropriation beauty, and the history of biases on the basis of appearances.

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What skin-color d’you prize,

Obsessed with white

Others, despise?

Love hair black then?

White not a good choice?

You brush cilia with inky mascara,

Kohl eyes, deep and dark.

Not golden, nor bleached

As your usual leaning.

You define beauty, blonde,

And black, the hue of dirt.

Black and thick still you choose,

For lashes and Brows.

Slim and light, the body.

Butt and breast preferred high!

Skinny waist, visible clavicles you fancy!

With an extra layer

Of muscle or fat,

Blemishes and stripes,

Painting uneven dusky cuticle

Of my unfair skin.

You say I look hideous,

You brand me less feminine!

Authors! Where were we

When you were penning

The handbook of beauty?

Now listen, carefully.

We’ll resist, we'll rebel.

We'll not submit (to your standards).

We'll celebrate our own charms.

Suiting comfort and taste,

Write many parallel histories -

With acute curves,

With smoky tones,

With untamed hairs,

With chubby limbs.

Of browns and of blacks

Of multiple other colors,

Textures, sizes, shapes.

To accommodate us

To accommodate all,

We will rewrite

The Book of Beauty!

By Maitri Verma

From: India

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