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The Voice of a Stranger

January 6, 2012
By writer-in-pearls GOLD, San Diego, California
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writer-in-pearls GOLD, San Diego, California
10 articles 0 photos 42 comments
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the voice of a stranger
calling beautiful, s*xy, wh**e
my dress is short
my heels are high
i’m wearing makeup
if he touches me
rapes me
they will say it is my fault
i don’t look sixteen

the voice of a stranger
calling me honey, sl*t, b**ch
i lower my eyes
cross my arms across my chest
walking quickly
i pray silently to a god
i don’t believe in
leave me alone
it will be my fault
i am a virgin
but they don’t know that
but he doesn’t know that
would they care?
would he?

my dress is short
my heels are high
i’m wearing makeup
i don’t look sixteen
I’m asking for it they say.

© Rebekah K., Parkesburg, PA

The author's comments:
I wrote this poem in reaction to the common experience of street harassment that women face, hoping that men will realize that for us it is not fun or flattering, it is only humiliating, frightening and dehumanizing.
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