Black Eyed Beauty
my beauty is the talk of the town, the envy of all the
town’s women. it must be so because every time i walk
down the streets, i see the women steal glances at me
and begin to whisper amongst themselves in the way
that lets you know you are the subject of the discussion.
The men look, look away, look again, and look away again
with guilt etched on their faces. They know that they should
not look so closely at another man’s wife, but they are powerless
to stop themselves.
My skin, the color of cream stained with a little chocolate,
glows and tempts lookers to feel it’s soft smoothness. My
hair falls to my neck in beautiful plaited rows. My rounded
hips fan out and roll from side to side as i walk, daring
lookers to challenge my femininity.
The thing that stands out about me the most though isn’t
any of my natural qualities. It is made by man. My man, my husband.
He makes sure that I am always made up, my eyes carrying the
color of his mood. Some days black, other days blue, and
every now and again purple.
Two weeks ago, I spilled some of his beloved beer while
serving his evening meal. This sent him into a mood, and he
painted my right eye blue. It was my fault of course.
A week ago, the mood had been black when his employers
had delayed the payment of his salary. He of course expressed
this on my left eye, leaving it a beautiful shade of black. Again
it was my fault, I should have been more understanding when
he demanded that food be brought from our empty kitchen.
I should have asked the neighbors for some.
When I am careful, and considerate, and patient, he lets
me wear brown on my eyes. My natural, glowing chocolate-cream
brown. I’m spotting a blue-black pair of eyes today, but I’m
hopeful that soon I will master the virtues of a good wife and
then maybe, just maybe I’ll be allowed to wear the chocolate-cream
brown, But until then I will continue to walk around the town
drawing the stares of the town folks, a black eyed beauty.
www.jaymarensworld.wordpress.com
Copyright © Yinlaifa Edolo | Year Posted 2013
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