My body is not my own.
It belongs to the man brushing his arm against it.
So innocent, but we both know the motive.
It belongs to the woman sizing me up, sneering with disgust,
Am I too pretty, or not pretty enough?
It belongs to the group of boys whistling at me from their car,
Making me bark back like the dog they must think I am.
It belongs to the people using the phrase “Kept her girlish figure,”
And makes me fear the day I become a woman.
It belongs to my boyfriend tracing circles on my back,
And it makes me believe I am beautiful.
It belongs to the bikini I will never properly fit into,
And I laugh at the string that should encompass my curves.
It belongs to my jeans that don’t zip like they used to.
It belongs to the women revered as beautiful, tall and thin - my opposite.
It belongs to my mother, who always thanked God I “stayed small.”
It belongs to the size 12 who looks at me imploringly.
It belongs to the size 0 who looks at me with superiority.
It belongs to every friend who told me I would make a perfect trophy wife.
It belongs to whoever classified 36-24-36 as perfection,
And did not know that 32-30-35 is just as good.
It belongs to the man who once defined womanhood.
It belongs to the women who won’t challenge that concept.
It does not belong to me.
Author Bio:
Born in New York City, returning after an 18 year hiatus, Nicole Alexis Nadler is ready to being her career as a writer. After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2011 with a B.A. in English - Creative Writing, she took a well paying job that didn't feed her soul. A year and a half later, she left it all behind to pursue her dreams in the city of dreamers.
Though she enjoys writing fiction as well, it is creative non fiction, poetry, and prose that she has always felt the strongest about. This is the first piece she has submitted for publication.
She is very adamant about not only women's rights, but the quality of life surrounding them. If she can accomplish one thing in her life, it would be to teach all women, young and old, that they world belongs to them and to never let anyone stop them from believing that due to their gender.
It belongs to the man brushing his arm against it.
So innocent, but we both know the motive.
It belongs to the woman sizing me up, sneering with disgust,
Am I too pretty, or not pretty enough?
It belongs to the group of boys whistling at me from their car,
Making me bark back like the dog they must think I am.
It belongs to the people using the phrase “Kept her girlish figure,”
And makes me fear the day I become a woman.
It belongs to my boyfriend tracing circles on my back,
And it makes me believe I am beautiful.
It belongs to the bikini I will never properly fit into,
And I laugh at the string that should encompass my curves.
It belongs to my jeans that don’t zip like they used to.
It belongs to the women revered as beautiful, tall and thin - my opposite.
It belongs to my mother, who always thanked God I “stayed small.”
It belongs to the size 12 who looks at me imploringly.
It belongs to the size 0 who looks at me with superiority.
It belongs to every friend who told me I would make a perfect trophy wife.
It belongs to whoever classified 36-24-36 as perfection,
And did not know that 32-30-35 is just as good.
It belongs to the man who once defined womanhood.
It belongs to the women who won’t challenge that concept.
It does not belong to me.
Author Bio:
Born in New York City, returning after an 18 year hiatus, Nicole Alexis Nadler is ready to being her career as a writer. After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2011 with a B.A. in English - Creative Writing, she took a well paying job that didn't feed her soul. A year and a half later, she left it all behind to pursue her dreams in the city of dreamers.
Though she enjoys writing fiction as well, it is creative non fiction, poetry, and prose that she has always felt the strongest about. This is the first piece she has submitted for publication.
She is very adamant about not only women's rights, but the quality of life surrounding them. If she can accomplish one thing in her life, it would be to teach all women, young and old, that they world belongs to them and to never let anyone stop them from believing that due to their gender.
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