Girls who were told too often 

to be good 

today are women who tremble at every injustice 

they try to keep their voices from echoing 

never a little, never too much 

tame in absurdity 

girls who hide from others

 

Girls who were told too often 

to be good 

today are women who feel fear 

in their stomachs, not butterflies 

and seek reasons not to be playful 

scattering their lives like wicked dust 

so that not too much remains in the urn

 

Girls who were told too often 

to be good 

today are women with inexplicable diagnoses 

playing with strands of hair and crying in the dark 

they don’t believe in fortune-tellers or forecasts 

yet they stay silent 

going along with the arrogant

 

Girls who were told 

to be good 

even in their mothers’ wombs 

today are women who bow their heads 

morning and night, for them, fairy tales are fewer 

where they can celebrate their riches

 

Girls who were told too often 

to be good 

to hide 

(the one who didn’t hide was caught) 

today are women who hide where 

it should be the most beautiful 

(and it isn’t)

 

Girls who were told too often 

to be good 

have weak arms and can’t drive 

or love 

or scream 

they can’t be anything more than a trick under the ribs 

those who justify themselves in life and in court 

a swarm of butterflies that no one told that the most important thing is to be good.