In a detailed, creative writing task, potential poets analyze how race, identity, and society categorize and (mis)represent us. The learning begins with an imaginative anticipatory set where high schoolers describe unique situations that their skin has experienced (its earliest memory, what would your skin touch). It transitions with two class discussions about how their skin identifies who they are, and the title of Elis’ book Skin, Inc., and selected poems. It concludes with a two-part writing activity that “brands” the writer—allowing them to break free and repair their damaged identity. Included is an optional/extension activity for more mature and respectful learners where they “brand” each other's identities.