I was raised under the weight of men
*
I’d grow into my own body
through a man’s mind
*
he told me
you’d better have an appetite
*
you eat what you’re given
*
they applied it to everything
*
I couldn’t find girls
whose soul hadn’t been sucked out
*
it took me a long time
to understand that
boys my age were terrified
*
reluctant to come closer
*
men had left their traces
*
and I’d never be on the pages
that I was supposed to be on
*
cover to cover
you baptised me
and took my laurels
but I memorised my language
and kept it in my body
and I’ll unleash it now
every step of the way
*
little boys in men’s bodies
were forgiven
over my ostracised body
Croque-Melpomene 