
A response to āFor women who are ādifficultā to loveā by Warsan Shire
āi am terrifying and strange and beautiful,
something not everyone knows how to loveā
i am a woman,
something not everyone knows how to love
i am a woman
i am someoneās someone
but no, no
i am so much more, more than someoneās someone
i am someone
iām someone
independent of all the other someoneās
i am a woman
iāve tried to close my mouth more for another someone
ātried to be softer
less volatile
less awakeā
but no, my mouth is meant to bite
to talk over those who talk over me
and my awakeness is permanent
not to be drugged by someone elseās needs
i am a woman
i am a slut, a whore, a cunt
no me importa
i donāt mind to be someoneās play thing in bed
i have the power to choose to my shades
i like to
but no, the play isnāt play after being called a bitch, a twat, a wench, en serio
after serving as oneās punching bag in real life
i cannot enjoy being a fake one in another
i am a woman
i am someoneās punching bag
but no, i am so much more than that
i am a girlfriend
no, no
i was a girlfriend
i am no more, independent of that someone
i am a woman
i am someoneās victim
but no, i was someoneās victim, fue
i owed him, he said
he blocked the door
i couldnāt find my shoe
my damn shoe
he asked in the morning that i wouldnāt say anything
he moved on me
he just started kissing me
it was like a magnet
he didnāt even wait
he was a star, a very dim one
so he thought he could do anything
maybe it was because this was his locker room talk
his football locker room talk
and, it was because he is a rapist
i am a woman
i am someone
i am now forever awake.Ā