I was a Girl all along.

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i wear a Paper Mask
to hide my raw beauty, to show brute strength,
to keep in check my girlish drama, and to kill the opinion that
 
i am Less because of my Sex. 
 
behind the fragile facade, i long to be 
the princess whom the knight fights for 
against his better judgment. 
my cloak of denial towards my own Femininity clings to me, 
drowning me in rage and hate for
 
the Man who deemed Women Weaker. 
 
although i feign Invincibility, 
their taunts haunt me day to day. 
"You run like a Girl." "Stop being so Dramatic."
they all say "you are Bad to be a Women,
act less like who you are,
become something else entirely"
until i take shame in caring and crying. 
but my Shame does not stop the tears from trashing my paper mask,
 
and then they can see Me. 
they see how i long to be Loved and Treasured. they see 
 
I was a Girl all along. 
 

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