A Woman Full of Life

By Kimberly Nguyen

Posted on September 1, 2023

Cover Image Title: Butterfly Girl

Cover Image by: Kaitlyn Q.

Classification: Digital

Specifications: 3799 pixels x 4629 pixels, 132 dpi

Year: 2023

I love the way my heels clack when I walk

My own applause with every step I take

I love the way her dark hair attracts the looks of strangers as she passes through the streets

They love her hair

her thick, long, curly hair

She pulls out a pocket mirror to check her lip gloss

The bus passengers stare and she smiles politely at them

She rubs her lips together to distribute her gloss evenly

Getting her money’s worth, she dances and sings her heart out at the concert

Wiping the sweat away

knowing her heart is pounding even though she can’t feel the beat

She writes, knowing it will be her best yet

All the drafts piled up in the trash can next to her feet

In her hand, she holds her work, beaming with pride

And maybe she’ll brag about it

So what?

They love to see a woman’s sunlight but force herto wear sunglasses

Blinding us to our strength, power, and beauty

I won’t let my heels collect dust and replace its claps for your cheering

She won’t bunch her hair into a low bun

She refuses to sway her body passively and whisper along

She doesn’t overthink about the word choice she uses to describe how she feels about her new book

Even on her bad days, she is a woman full of life

Description:

This piece addresses how society constantly pushes women into a box where they are trained to think they are not allowed to recognize and present their worth with pride even with small things such as something they enjoy about their appearance or more personalized traits like their passions or interests. As a young girl, I’ve always denied compliments, found something negative about my work to even out the approvals by peers, and downplay my excitement for my own accomplishments in fear of seeming too self absorbed. Society constantly applauds women for their achievements, lively personalities, good skills, etc. but as soon as women also see that in themselves, they are painted out to be “too assertive”. At the end of this poem, shows the resistance to that belief. Other young women and I work to show that resistance by recognizing, being proud, confidently wearing our character on our sleeves.

[ * The End * ]

[Writing Editor: ]