By: Linda M Crate

i’m a woman,
but that doesn’t mean
that i will be weak
or docile
succumbing to the will of those
who are wicked;
i am not inferior to any man
more than well aware of my power
and my magic—
maybe that’s why some of them hate me,
but i know monsters can’t be
reasoned with,
and i won’t waste my time trying to convince
them to believe in me;
instead of being told that i’m assertive i am told
that i’m a bitch
last time i checked ambition wasn’t a bad thing
so maybe swallow your pride—
i know many people
don’t feel as if they need walks or women have all the rights
they need,
but forgive me if i disagree;
there are people dying every day over issues that some of you
can simply turn your back to but i cannot close my eyes
to evil because that’s as bad as being a villain;
so many people lived and died for
things that are taken for granted but i cannot forget everything they’ve
done for me and all their daughters
i will never stop fighting
so that everyone has the right to live and dream and be who they are
without fear of death, judgment, or scorn.