Pink
A poem about embracing my femininity
Pink:
The colour of femininity. One that we are taught to feel
we need to denounce as we grow up. Because to be
feminine is to be weak, to be lesser, to be outdated.
Because in our quest for liberation, we’ve been told
we need to emasculate ourselves. Somewhere along
the way, dismantling the patriarchy came to mean
conforming to it.
So I put on my lacy pink dress and pin my hair up
with delicate bows and ribbons. I paint my face in
soft, rosy tones. I walk around my house singing
the songs of my childhood princesses. I embrace
the femininity I was told to suppress, no longer
afraid to be called a “girly girl” as if that were an
insult. This is my defiance. This is my freedom.
About the Creator
Kelsey Clarey
She/Her/Fae/Faer. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. I mostly write poetry and flash fiction currently, a lot of it fantasy/folklore/fairy tale inspired. I also like to do a lot of fiber arts and design TTRPGs.
https://linktr.ee/islanderscaper
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
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More stories from Kelsey Clarey and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (17)
I woke up this morning to blast Hannah Montana and Barbie songs. It’s healing. Pink deserved better!!
very nice to read
I adore this, Kelsey! Here’s to embracing pink 💗
💖💖💖💪🏾
This is, forgive the language, fucking awesome! I hate the way things have gone too far in those extremes! it is crucial we all have the right to be ourselves, whether that is a pinked up girly girl princess or something completely different! wanted to check out an old piece by you and glad I did! not surprised this placed, congrats!
Omg! Tears are coming! As a girl that felt I needed to actively repress and deny my femininity and girlhood for most of my life ... this hits so hard ... and of course, my favourite colour has always been pink ... but growing up I was told that it couldn't be and shouldn't be because 'boys don't like pink' and all I could think, but never feel I could express 'I'm not a boy' Now ... I almost never don't have pink on me somewhere! Thank you for this beautiful and amazingly written expression of this struggle. I'm actually encouraged in an odd way that other girls went through this too. 🩷🩷🩷
And we should be proud to be the fine women we are. A well-deserved prize, Kelsey.
I enjoyed this well deserved place getter in the challenge. Go Pink!🤩 Being a bit of a Tom Boy, Pink & I have only recently agreed to get along! And only if pink is extremely loud & vibrant. Something to suit each of us.✅
So, so powerful and relatable. I was so ashamed of my femininity when I was younger, and embracing it in adulthood has been so liberating.
Powerful and moving!
Great!! 😊💕❤️
I love this, Kelsey. Yes! Be who you are, what you want to be, not who others decree you should be. Excellent! That sounds like a mantra and I didn't mean it to be.
I loved this. Femininity is so strangely looked down upon, it really does have power. Well done.
Love the ending!
Cleverly done. Love the use of pink as the spring board and that ending. Fantastic!
I love the way you used the color as a portal in this piece. Thanks for writing this. :)
This is great. Love it.