This writing was accepted for publication in the 108 page perfect-bound ISSN#/ISBN# issue/book “Question Everything” cc&d, v280 (the February 2018 issue) Order this as a 6"x9" paperback book: |
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not your canary
Linda M. Crate
everyone’s brave
until they realize the cockroach
has wings,
and every misogynist feels safe
with a caged woman by
his side;
but some of us are wild
won’t let anyone rain down on our fires
for we are oceans of erosion, we are fierce as
tsunamis, we are hotter than the sun,
and our thorns are more cutting
than those of the wild rose;
all my life people have tried to tame me or water me down
because my intensity has always alarmed them
yet i rebel against anyone who would take my wings—
i’m not a caged canary who will sing for her
captor
i am the furious raven who will claw your eyes out for
trying to cage her
because birds were meant to fly,
and if you cannot appreciate that some women want more
than the status quo
it’s not as if you deserve eyes anyway
because clearly you’re already blind.