I am stuck
In the this suffocating box
Between being a woman
And being a child
For the only thing that holds me back
From completely flourishing
From loving with all heart
From being angry with all of my being
Is the fact
That I am only sixteen

The fact that I am only sixteen-
Not quite a woman but not quite a child-
Means that people all around me
Still have the authority to pull at my heart strings

My father gets to hold my heart, my love
Over my head
And I am but a caged rabbit
that can do nothing
As it starves
But to follow the food held up high
By my caretaker
I will do flips and tricks
To get to that carrot
For my stomach aches for the fullness of satisfaction
For the fullness of you

But alas it is rarely ever enough
I jump but it’s not high enough
I roll but it’s not clean enough
And I run my fastest but it’s not fast enough
But what does he expect
a starving rabbit to do?

God it tears me to shreds
That he starves me of you


© AllisonKC07