The day I was born
I was a girl.
I was told
How pretty my hair was
How I had my mom’s eyes,
My dad’s humor
They told me how I was getting so tall
My grades were doing so well
I was so polite
Then one day
I became a woman.
I was told to be quiet
I was told to do as I was told
Blindly, and without question.
Meant to tend to the needs of others
Meant to be silent
Meant to obey
But I am a woman.
And I will do
Whatever I please
I will scream as loud as I can
In the face of oppression
I will not be silenced
Or accept rules given to me
By someone who knows nothing about me
The world does revolve around me
Because I can be
No one else
But me.
I am a woman.
And you will hear me.