Lil Missy

I was raised to listen

They told me

When at a party 

Wait till a guy approaches you

He will extend his hand

Give you the opportunity

to dance with him 

Never deny such a gesture

He is doing you a favor

This

Right here

Might be your only chance to dance

So do not mess it up

Stay behind him as he holds your hand 

And walks you to the dance floor 

He will cradle your waist 

And direct your hips through the music

A guy has never asked me to dance 

Never singled me out 

Never guided me to the dance floor when the lights dim some

Or held me close enough to feel my heart throb faster

I've always wondered why

What steps I’ve missed to throw them off like 

Maybe they saw me get my third three-pound plate of mac and cheese

Maybe I still have some crumbs on my lip

I 

Really

Like

To

Eat

But sometimes

I think I should have settled for them greens

It would have made me lighter on my feet 

Easier to spin

Smaller to wrap arms around

Gentler to consume whole

Maybe my resting face is a little too harsh for them 

My wondering eyes look too desperate as they ping pong 

Maybe my dress wasn't tight enough

Wasn't vacuum sealed around my body to suck up all the attention in the room

Didn't cut into my waist deep enough so they could grip it better

So, I give up 

I Give up blame

Let it melt between my hands

Wipe it off on the table cloth when no one's looking 

Lick my insecurities from my fingertips

Breathe, breathe out lifetime long patience, 

Breathe, take up my space, 

Breathe, break fragile posture,  

Breathe, fill up on rhythm    

Breathe 

And remember that 

I am Missy Elliott reincarnated 

I make turntables out of tummies

Make earthquakes destruct with my Dougie

My lean with it rock with is mimic tsunamis

My tutting, the hard level on Tetris 

My soldier boy, ready to win any dance battle 

My top rock hitting on all single high hats

My stinky leg smells so bad that it makes them dizzy 

Missy, the manifestation of empowered through dance 

Missy, If you a fly gal get your nails done Get a pedicure, get your hair did

Missy, in your face

Missy, popping that thang

Missy, made Misdemeanor a good thing

Missy, been leading routines of self-love and confidence that require no partner 

And I will do the same

I just need to practice

Practice makes better 

So for myself

By myself

A change

In the direction of carefreeness

I stand up

Push in my seat and

KNEEL 

To the Missy Elliott within me screaming 

HOLLAAAAAA