by Kayla Blau
Lift up the woman who "should've known better"
Who took the risk and rotted for it
Cradle the woman who went against it all
To prove a point
To "love hard"
Hardened love
Lift up the woman who dances on eggshells
Slicing all expectations of self to fit his sanctioned off pipe dreams
Who cowers at 2:13 PM
And fulfills her duty at 2:13 AM
Who knows stuck like her mother knew
Who gives rope and thinks "maybe if…"
Who coaxes herself back into her body
Hooks out of hiding to protect her seeds
Lift up the survivor,
Lift up the child,
Trapped in their bodies,
In their home,
In his image
Lift up survival
Rise up together
Before we disappear
Kayla Blau is a Seattle-based poet and writer.
Featured image: is licensed under a Creative Commons agreement.
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