Sweet Vaseline

We were
Cocoa Butter babies
with Afro-Sheen dreams
petrolleum Jelly
Sweet Vaseline

Butter caramel complexions
or hazy black blue
deep chestnut amber
opaque onyx hue

No matter the color
It’s all good for you
put some on your acne
She’s good for that too

Or, moisture depraven
split cracking lips
desperate elbows
skin dry as chips

We went from nasty and ashy
rusty to bronze
and all that it took
was to slather her on

Unruly, malicious
beautiful brown
curly delicious
natural crown

For wear anywhere
for skin or for hair
Sweet Vaseline
was our vanity fair

Rub a little bit on
Rub a little bit in
surely took care of
our beautiful skin

Silkingly glowing
shine head to toe
soft and luxorious
beautiful fro

Now yes, we use Keri
and Noxema is fine
Especially when used with the
Venus Divine

We up and moved on
to Intensive Care
and found other products
to lovely our hair

New Cocoa Butter Babies
smell of powery dew
but what was once good for us
is good for them too

Black universal
cultural esteem
we all can remember
Sweet Vaseline

~Rachelle M. Turple