I decided to wear nice earrings today -
maroon and feathery -
harmless, you'd think.
But when my 40-something colleague
called me "beautiful"
I wanted to rip them right out,
let the blood from my ear lobes
mingle with that "beautiful" maroon.
Fucking moron.
My boss laughed when I told her,
said it was a compliment.
My mistake.
I’ve always tried to find the middle ground.
It’s what cost me the case:
I tried to understand
Why he would touch me when I said no.
My mistake.
Maybe the right-wingers are right.
Maybe I attract the wrong type
- the type who can see through the clothes
that cover me neck to wrist to ankle.
My mistake.
But that’s how they get away with it.
Because we believe it’s our fault.
Now when I look at my jewellery stand
and browse through my wardrobe
I run my fingers through memories
of unwanted solicitation.
I'm a stereotype:
I have nothing left to wear.