by Salvin Kumar
Fairness creams
Lighter shades of foundation
Indoor football
Well lit selfies
A revolution of recognition
A bigger racial battle
Marrying who one wants to
The identity crisis in a larger diaspora
Yet internal battles
Within one’s own people exist
The fairer child preferred
The fairer bride adored
Even after “telephone conversation”
Or the white “souls” of the feet
There live superior black hearts in
The inferiority complex
Amongst one’s own
A race that measures success
In intellectual achievements
Fails at self recognition
Fails to say
Yes I am black
Yes I am brown
The darker shade
Salvin was born and raised in Fiji. His Great Great Grandfather migrated to Fiji from British India as an indentured labourer and decided to settle there. Salvin worked as a teacher and a part time radio jockey for a Hindi radio station in Fiji until he moved to settle in Australia. He currently does casual teaching at High schools in Western Sydney.
Poetry is something that gives Salvin a sense of self realisation, “I feel like I am me when I write. It allows me to escape into a world that I am yet to fully discover.”
Great bro
Nice
Very true
Great work Salvin! As i can recall our high school days and where you are now! Very determine and hard working.
This is one of the many fruits yet to be born.
Good luck and all the best OB
Well done Salvin.hope to read more of your poetry.
You’v done it yet again!
Nice one Sal
Nice bro, keep it up.
Good luck.
It is very nice Salvin
Thank you so much everyone.
You are a poet.
You have beautifully expressed yourself and given voice to a very real issue.
Great work. Looking forward to more.
What a great inspiration enveloped in a beautifully worded poem by Salvin