What is security?
For I never felt it
in the love of others
and in my own fibers and cells.

being a woman in the 21st century is great

a past full of women who fought for us
for us to vote
for us to work
for us to feel safe
for us to be equal to our male counterparts

now i can buy pepper spray at my college bookstore

now i can learn to hate *** because i began to be sexualized at 11 years old

now i can walk down my street and only hope to blend in to all those around me so i don’t get yelled at by strange men

now i can have a one night stand and pray no mistakes happen and punch my lower stomach and pump my body with toxins as much as possible just in case

this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg
this isn’t even every struggle a woman must make

but can’t you agree that

being a woman in the 21st century is great?

i wish i could hold the things that hurt you in my hands
so i could crush them like dry leaves
they would crumble to dust between my fingers
and i would blow them away in one breath
off to somewhere they can’t reach you

You had to
Shoot me down
As I was a bird
Flying to soar
And you did not want
Others learning how
To fly away anymore.
Just like the barn owl
Ever the ethereal nun
Kneeling in the branches
Closer to the warmth of the sun
Spreading butterflies
Far away from your aim
With heavy huntress chastise
Away from your cold plain.