On this spot there was a swimming pool
my grandmother wouldn’t let me go in
because there were Colored people in it
and their color comes off in the water.
I looked into the water for the dark
pigment which I thought would swirl
on top like Easter egg dye
but there was no dark color,
only dark people splashing and laughing
while all around trees with huge roots
grew up out of the ground.
And on this spot were water fountains,
two cracked bowls balancing on rusty pipes.
One said White and one said Colored.
Colored people must drink different water I thought
and when no one was looking,
I drank from the Colored one.
It tasted the same as the White,
like a dirty nickel. I waited for something
to happen, but I was still White.
Maybe it would take time.
I waited some more.
Where to even begin.
