Two Poems

By Kenzie Allen

 

Determination of Racial Affinity

A shapely nasal spline, rounded maxilla
and that flick of a scalloped incisor,

this one is Asian (in all likelihood). We can’t be certain
when only bone remains, but compare

ulnar length, mandibular jut, these caveats
of origin. Mongoloid, Caucasoid, alternate morphs
for sun-soak, overcast, sweet tilt of the sockets

the way Draw Girls Around The World explained
ethnic realism. Make her lips large and full,
give her beautiful hips and tiny shoulders

define her muscle thus. They don’t say
it starts in the skeleton, in fragments of fragments
and the .002 gram that could be user error

or could mean your ancestors sent you down the river
in a basket, nothing mentions variability
and how every time you look at that skull of hers

it changes, how you can’t pull off your own skin
and ask your body questions.


 

Foundational

Alabaster, Porcelain, Ivoire,
Light Porcelain, Light Ivory,
Light Ecru, Fawn, Classic
Ivory, Soft Ivory, Ivory
Beige, Warm, Fair, Fair
Medium, Toast,

Olive, Tan, Natural,
Natural Beige, Natural
Buff, Pure Beige,
Warm Ivory, Nude,
Fresh Beige, Buff
Beige, Shell Beige,

Creamy Natural,
Light Delicate Beige,
Medium Peach, Medium
Sand, Medium Almond,
Buff Medium, Sand Beige,
Suntan, Sun Beige, Perfect

Beige, True Beige, Honey
Beige, Golden Beige,
Classic Beige, Soft Sable,
Suede, Medium Walnut, Tan
Bronze, Tan Café Latte,
Classic Tan, Cappuccino,

Mahogany, Nut Brown,
Cocoa, Dark Beige, Mocha,
Coffee, Cognac, Caramel,
Caramel Beige, Crème
Café, Deep Warm, Deep
Golden, Deep Cocoa, Deep
Cool, Deep Dark Ebony.