TIS Magazine 2020

What does it mean to be beautiful? I traveled across the world and I met some beauty experts That is, travelling from one web page to the next, Exploring what that really meant They told me beauty that it was the state of being attractive When I searched what attractive meant, It told me it was appealing to the mind or senses When I looked for what appealing meant, it told it meant to be attractive So the cycle continued But there were many who dared to tell me, beauty was found on the inside Beauty wasn’t defined and that it lay in the eyes of a beholder But what if the beholder was blind? For the world has seen one kind of face for decades It sold generations, a one dimensional figure It was not prepared for the reparations of hurt that would carry on for a millennia Our perception lacked depth and was superficial The mould of beauty had cracks formed by the tears of those suffocated by it It was unattainable by most Coveted by much Hated by all Too black, not black enough, too white, not white enough, too brown, not brown enough, too skinny, not thick enough, too thick Simply, not enough For who really knows what it means to be beautiful? God does, It wasn’t a mistake that he made different body types, different races, differ- ent sizes We all formed as part of his diverse image And we are a reflection of his glory If you asked me again, what does it mean to be beautiful I say My melanin be glowin’ reflectin’ the glory of the holies of holies Dark skin with thick curly hair Fearfully, Perfectly and Wonderfully Made What does it mean to be beautiful? | 38