(Un) Fair

(Un) Fair

written by: Dr. Aparna Ajith

Is the complexion of dark not lovely?
Is dark skin always treated so lowly?
The disclaimer of the enlightened 21st century
direly echoes the hegemonic White man’s alarming memory
When Fair and Lovely gives way to Glow and Lovely,
the unfair skin tone destines to remain only lowly.

The caverns of the human colour-conscious psyche,
deem fairness a vicious victorious key
The intolerable sense of obsession for the ‘fair’ skin
resonates here, the presence of the White man’s twin
Isn’t the dark colour not appealing?
Is it always and forever appalling?
Why is dark made to remain low?
It’s time to redefine the choreography of beauty though!

The preference for fair ones;
A rejoinder of the White man’s burden that runs
can never allude dark as glowing,
can never negotiate dark as growing
The black masks of the so-called ‘fair’ skin
deliberately deny the ‘dark’ ones a chance to win.
The colour images imprinted in the complexioned society must alter
And embrace the tones of skin for the better
Is it an ode to my dusky dark skin?
Is it a riposte to my fair-skinned Indian kin?
The dichotomy of dark and fair
makes me feel the coloured world so unfair
It’s time to redefine the beauty lying in the beholder’s eye
The worthy words of the renowned philosopher remind/remain a pathetic lie!

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Dr Aparna Ajith

Dr. Aparna Ajith is an academician and a creative writer who dabbles in the world of prose and verse. She was awarded Ph.D. in English from Central University of Rajasthan. Her area of specialization is Comparative Literature and Translation Studies. Her interest lies in Creative Writing, Gender, Diaspora, Film, and Culture Studies. Being a freelance journalist, she translates and writes articles for the Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Kerala. She has presented papers at various national and international conferences. She has published articles in journals and edited anthologies of national and international repute. Her creative pieces have found space in ezines and blogs. She was awarded Panorama Global Youth Literary Award 2020. Her maiden anthology of poems entitled 'Musings of Venus' was published recently. She enjoys sailing through the exhilarating and exhausting moments with her darling baby, Anvik Sujeeth who gives life to many of her poetic scribblings. Having lived in three Indian cities and a hamlet, she soars high in the sky of artistic imagination wielding out of her realistic and diasporic impressions.

Latest posts by Dr Aparna Ajith (see all)

• An Auspicious Rendezvous - June 5, 2024
• (Un) Fair - August 9, 2023
• Hiatus - January 25, 2023