we shaved our heads and not our legs,
because you wouldn’t believe we didn’t want you
any other way –
we made ourselves more of ourselves;

we refused to primp in a style that was
done for you to begin with;
this way you could hate us right off the bat,
instead of waiting until we turned you down;

from a safe distance,
your sneers made us embarrassed for you,
but up close,
a scoff turns into fists, spit, rape.

we looked this way
on purpose,
so that we could control you:
just like every other woman ever has.