Shades of Color

By Dolores Nazario Ramirez

My temple, full of love now

How was it ever empty?

My handles, soft like the snow that falls from heaven

Dancing through the room I go

Radiant beams reflect from the smiling lips

Wait, the box full of color speaks

It gets louder and louder

Put on some color

Put on some heels

Put on those spanx to mold those lumps

Go buy a treadmill

Go eat more greens

Go buy the pills to lose that weight

You will be loved, praised, admired by all

Listen to the eerie sounds

It echoes don’t you hear it?

Crawling into my temple

They slither into the hollow

piercing their claws into the icy handles

The box full of color tells me to follow

I refuse to obey the haunting words sinking into my skin

I love the way my thighs rub together while I walk the streets of Brooklyn

The way the love shows on these lumps

Shoulders strong enough to carry dreams

Turn away from the box of color

Dolores Nazario Ramirez is a writer, poet, and lover of life. She is passionate about social

justice, women empowerment and her Mexican culture. When Dolores is not writing, trains

in kickboxing, hosts an online book club, and spends time with family, friends and her cat Kylo.

If you would like to keep up with her work, follow her at: Instagram: @dee_shortstuff / Website:

www.doloresnazario.com / Email: dolores.e.nazario@gmail.com