Mona Lisa by Becca Harrington | International Women’s Day Celebration

I won’t be painted by men’s intruding eyes
and loan my body
to a gaze unwanted.
My mind,
my eyes,
my thighs,
a crimson decision,
protested with signs
that say: ‘I won’t stop until
this decision is mine’.

I won’t be quiet so
you can be comfortable,
and live in a world created to
fetishise and demonise
exotic women
wasted women
ideal women.

I won’t hide and
drown in petals, whispering to
street corners that tell me to be
delicate.
I won’t smile for you.
I don’t owe you a bloom worthy of
complimentary slurs and
harrowing whistles.

I won’t be silent, and neither will
my sisters.

We are women,
hear us roar.