Girl. | Teen Ink

Girl.

November 2, 2013
By jailene BRONZE, Dorchester, Massachusetts
jailene BRONZE, Dorchester, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Clean after yourself, a senorita can’t be dirty; sit with your legs closed; don't slouch; separate the whites and colors when you're washing the clothes; when ironing make sure to start from the shoulder seam to the hem; how come you’re gazing across the room and not at me?; Look at me when I'm talking to you; listen to me when I'm talking to you; listen to your teachers when they’re talking to you; focus on school; read; don’t wait more than a week to wash your pillowcase or else you’ll break out; you mustn't let anyone make you feel low of yourself; have a career then a husband, so you’ll have something of your own first; don’t marry someone like your father so you won’t become the confused wanderlusted girl I once was; this is how you hide a dress in the back of store so you can buy it later; this is how you return a dress that you’ve just worn the other day; this is how you dress when you’re with your family at home; this how you dress when you have a guest over; this is how you dress when you’re a guest over; this is how you pick a wedgie without anyone seeing; don’t leave your dresser drawers open; this is how you move to the instruments of your favorite song; this is how you accept a request to dance; this is how you decline a request to dance; this is how detach yourself from reality only for just a few seconds so you don't become such the wanderlusted and confused girl I once was; be sure to drink water everyday—even if its just one sip; this is how you make arroz y habichuelas; and don't feel too bad if it’s not perfect the first time-the first pot never comes out right; this is how you prepare lemon and honey tea for when you have a sore throat; this is how you feel the avocados to determine whether they’re ready; don’t speak badly of dead relatives they might pull you out of your bed at night; don’t believe in ghost; don’t disrespect—you’ll get disrespected back; this is how you separate fantasy and the real world; this is is how you identify what’s bad for you and leave it before you get too hurt; this is how you fake a smile if you decide not to leave the bad thing and you get too hurt; don’t be selfish and ask for something; don’t daydream too often because you might get too comfortable living in your head; don’t make the same mistakes I made; okay? huh, what did you say?


The author's comments:
This piece was inspired by the poem Girl by Jamaica Kincaid and was an assignment for my ELA class. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it!

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