by Kayla Blau

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Lift up the woman who “should’ve known better”

Who took the risk and rotted for it

Cradle the woman who went against it all

To prove a point

To “love hard”

Hardened love

Lift up the woman who dances on eggshells

Slicing all expectations of self to fit his sanctioned off pipe dreams

Who cowers at 2:13 PM

And fulfills her duty at 2:13 AM

Who knows stuck like her mother knew

Who gives rope and thinks “maybe if…”

Who coaxes herself back into her body

Hooks out of hiding to protect her seeds

Lift up the survivor,

Lift up the child,

Trapped in their bodies,

In their home,

In his image

Lift up survival

Rise up together

Before we disappear

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Kayla Blau is a Seattle-based poet and writer.

Featured image: is licensed under a Creative Commons agreement.