By Maeve Clinger, TIWP Student

sometimes i feel my voice is too loud,

that it echoes for miles and miles

and those around me cover their ears.

i feel i am too… much for everybody,

too bright, too big, 

i am taking up space

that is not mine to take.

the universe is so big,

so overbearing,

so omniscient 

and yet

i am still taking up too much of it.

or at least

that is what they have shoved down our throats.

they tell us


sit like a lady

eat like a lady

act like a lady

do whatever a man says

no matter what.

it’s safer that way. 

even the best of us are looked at like… assistants,

sidekicks to superheroes,

sous chefs to michelin star restaurant chefs.

this world is not fair. 

they say, “all men are created equal,”

men. 

this is why we deserve more

and it has come to the point where they should be 

grateful 

that we just want equality

and not revenge.