For Paul Brookes’ April poetry challenge, I used the images by Anjum Wasim Dar and Gaynor Kane. You can see them here, along with all of the poetic responses.

A message from the obliterated to the obliterators

We don’t want to be put on a pedestal,
worshipped for our modesty and culinary skills,
kept out of the fray, the rough and tumble,
because we are too precious, too fragile,

because because because

Just stop asking or you know what will happen.

We don’t want to have decisions made for us,
because we are soft in the head, not quite formed,
but oh, so precious and maternal and modest,
and our place is safe indoors

and if you go outside alone, you’re a whore,
and you’ll get what’s coming to you.

We don’t accept that we need to ask permission,
that what you want is in anyway an ukase
dictated…