blog break, poem time

hey

here's a poem I wrote that I'm reciting for Young Women's Day at my church tomorrow. I went all hoorah womanhood on this one, but it's a piece I enjoy. Hope you like it :) Or don't like it. Or at least form some sort of opinion about it.

Act Like you Know (I am a Woman)
Tyece Wilkins May 3, 2009

I am a woman.
But if I speak my mind, they say I’m too bold
And if I don’t respond to your cat calls when I walk by
They say I’m too cold
But I just say I am a woman
Respect me to the utmost
See me for my mind and my heart if you are trying to get close
I am more than what you can see
And you would know that if you took the time to get to know me
You’re one liners and “baby, come here” are all just a fallacy
while working hard to obtain my heart is the fierce reality
why?
Because I am a woman.
Mind, body, and soul
A woman who has taken charge of her destiny
A woman who recognizes the one above who is in control
A woman who has worked tirelessly in a world that sometimes doesn’t believe in my worth
A woman who sees self-love and self-respect are a dearth
I am a woman
But if I state my opinion, you want to call me outside of my name
you want to jump to conclusions and make false claims
maybe you should check yourself and where you stand
because last time I checked, I am 100% sure of who I am
and if that intimidates you, I wouldn’t be surprised
but if I sat back and let you walk all over me, my life would just be a bunch of lies
I am a woman
Fighting for respect in a society that wants to put me just one step below
Fighting for compassion in a world that sees my struggles and still will never know
Learning about my world and finding where I fit
Realizing when to stand up for myself and knowing when it’s okay to submit
Proud of where I come from
Where I am
And where I want to go
Doing my best to make sure my inner light is always aglow
Learn, pursue, and constantly grow
Because I am a woman
And it’s about time that you act like you know