Howdy, Ma, you said
the day ou came back
from the Border...
but it wasn't the dull
in your new all-knowing eyes
that trod so heavily on my hurt.
It was your feet:
big, brown, sturdy, man-sized feet.

My eyes rivetted on your
brown socks and brown boots:
All brown....
To match the brown of my mind?

Brown thoughts of brown people
People born brown
and people browned by the sun.

Brown thoughts of brown people
Paper foes - brothers in blood.
Brown people with brown feet
in brown socks and brown boots
With brown mothers
thinking brown thoughts
Like mine

Margaret Kollmer

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/all-shades-of-brown/