How Dark I Would Turn

I feel bad for essayists when a poet decides to become one, because almost always a poet turned essayist outshines the only-essayist.  I was reading a Cherrie Moraga essay today, and she said "if my thoughts could color my flesh, how dark I would turn," and I was struck by how poetic that was.  How amazing and perfect.  And how much better she was as an essayist for having a poetry background.