I remember
speaking to a woman
and her son.
he was only a few years older than me
(so a worthy choice
for an arranged marriage.)
but talks like these
are always difficult.
my friends have faced
open discussions on
weight, height, and their beauty
with their mouths clasped shut
and the humiliation trapped
in their throats.
but I am still young,
and don't know the world quite yet.
I stared the woman in the face
and watched her forehead crease
in displeasure.
I could see the disapproval
like constellations on her skin.
because I was looking
her son in the eye.
and my smile, to her,
was far too brazen.
as a woman, shouldn't I know?
when speaking to a man,
my chin must curve towards
the ground, and
my eyes should be fixed
on his shoes.
the woman reckoned that,
I would be far prettier
if I was respectful
with less sureness of myself
in my eyes.
the mother and her son went away,
and I was left wondering
if my recognition of
our shared humanity,
was a sin.
