Poetry

The Story of a Girl – Ugonma Ubani-Ebere

Look forward, don’t be a distraction.
Pull down your skirt, you’ll be a fatal attraction.
Don’t eat too much, your waist will show satisfaction
Don’t be aggressive, be gentle and meek.
Don’t be too ambitious, because the men will freak.
Don’t look up to Mrs. Clinton or Mrs. Obama, because they are anomalies
Look up to Kim Kardashian, that’s a female prodigy
You will always be smart, but don’t appear intelligent
Act like you need a man, don’t act negligent
Remember to act feminine, but don’t be a feminist.
Be a lady, don’t do too much.
Shhhh….don’t be so loud. Bring your voice down to a hush.
Use your body, don’t use your brain?
You want to be a CEO? Have you gone insane?
Never stand up to a man.
Your goal is to be married, do you understand?
See that girl over there? Size her up, that’s your competition.
You can never be as good as a man, because the world made that decision.
Hair, nails, makeup must be done to precision.
Find a man with money, so you don’t have to work
Just take care of the kids, and know the difference between a dinner and salad fork.
Be careful and don’t have too many male partners.
1 or 2 will do, but after that you can’t go any farther.
Only men can have sexual conquests, but if you did prepare to face the consequence.
Slut, whore, home-wrecker just to name a few.
Now you know, so don’t say I never warned you.
Be submissive, let a man be a man.
Let him take charge, weaken yourself as much as you can.
Know your place in society, because you got it made
You could be living in a country where women’s rights are a blockade.
Ever since we have been little girls, this has been etched into our psyche
That this is a man’s world, and we are just renting the space, ever so lightly.
But forget what you just read, and remember that a man’s world would not have been possible without a woman’s womb.
There used to be great rulers like Queen Elizabeth, and Nefertiti and Cleopatra who are still etched fabulously in their tombs.
Forget the rules of society, and be who you want to be
Don’t feed into the patriarchal negativity.
Run with the boys, leave your hair a mess.
Wear shorts or jeans, if you don’t feel like wearing a skirt or a dress
Study harder, then graduate top of your class as the very best
Show the world that you can!
And never apologize for not being a man
Always keep striving, and never ever stop.
Surpass all the boys and men, and do what you can to reach the top.
Never apologize for wanting to be seen as an equal.
If they tell you that your story will end because you are too ambitious, too feminist, too independent, or too unstoppable.
Remind them that you are a girl, then write your own sequel.
The story will never end, no matter how hard society tries to break you down.
So sit up straight, or slouch, cross or open your legs, do as you please
But never forget your invisible crown.
You are a queen, but this is not a fairy tale, or some romantic movie to make your toes curl.
This is the true life story of being a girl.
Mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, or daughter
No matter the title, it is up to you to be the author.

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