We Don't Exist For You

A while ago I collaborated on a poem in support of Athika Ahmed and women's voices everywhere. There was a call for any kind of writing, poems and verses mainly, inspired by the terms "They call us" and "We are". I knew I had many poems along those lines. I took several lines from different poems of my own and made a new one. There were many participants and a verse was taken from each, including one of mine. So, I'm sharing the poem I made from my own poems. Maybe you can guess which line they took from it.

They call us ‘babygirl’ as they violate us

We are propositioned before we’re even in our teens

Don’t wear too much makeup

Don’t hide your pretty face!

When they treat you like a fetish

Prepare to be ogled

As eyes latch on

Leered, smirked, sneered at

After all, we are dressing for others, aren’t we?

What did we think would happen?

We should be flattered!

It’s a trap (marriage)

Minding my own

“Smile!”

Minding my own

“Bitch!”

Minding my own

“Whoa, hey, didn’t mean to scare ya!”

Minding my own space

“Sorry, didn’t see you there!”

Minding my own headspace

“Happy Mother’s Day!”

Minding my own happiness

“Damn girl, looking good!”

Minding my own body

Nothing is private

I can’t believe I was so polite

Listen up!

I didn’t choose my sex

I didn’t say “violate me”, it’s ok.

I don’t owe the world

Fulfilling societal standards

“Get married!”

Perform, aid, serve

“Have a kid!”

Contingencies

“Pop out more!”

Fill a quota

“Your uncle Sam says more you fucking whore!”

My existence is not conditional.

I didn’t sign a contract at birth to breed

Endlessly

We don’t exist for you

Biological clock.

I acknowledge no expectations

Nobody owns me, especially not your god.

They call us ‘good girl’ as they steal our innocence