Black. Woman. Rising

everyone has always found so many words for me about my body

how it’s too big,

too Black,

too this, not enough that,

this body has taught me so much

this body taught me the glare behind your eyes 

when I sit next to you on the bus and my thighs

overflow and eat up the seat

this body taught me that the timer starts as soon as I open my mouth, take a breath,

the timer is faster than my words

but you only let one of those things run out

this body taught me that these jeans can’t contain me

denim stretched tight across the hills and valleys 

worn thin where it’s warm

spilling over on top

this body, tall and thick, taught me my personality has to be quieter than my size

smaller than my colour

straighter than my hair

this body taught me sinful - sorry, simple - pleasures

but only with the lights down low

this body taught me girls like me are in the real world only

not on the screen or on the page

our brown hips, pink lips, folds and dimples

defy narrow minds and eyes and ears.

still,

despite,

we rise.

• Black. Woman. Rising.

Submitted by Ella Taylor