Seeking Sense

Fly! (After Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman)

Go ahead!
Seize the Mirror.
Make it captive to your face.
Suck sinkholes
Under cheekbones.
Perhaps dark skin lighter.
Unseat your petite.
Babel tower
Your physique
Contour symmetry
Across facial features
Go crazy!
Becoming the one
They said was perfect
Whilst your soul burns
its stock of happy.
I won’t wait.
Sitting on Maya’s throne
defiant, I’ll happily upset
pretty women
who keep wondering
where my beauty lies
don’t believe when I say:

“Its in the reach of my arms
the span of my hips
the stride of my step
the curl of my lips
I’m a woman
Phenomenally
Phenomenal Woman
That’s me”

There’s a seat here
For the woman
You are trying to shed
Fly! Give the mirror
Back its sight
Go ahead.

©Tolulola Agbelusi