Shallow Waters

we smooth ourselves
brush stray hairs
cover imperfections
mask bright laughs
damper loud opinions
in an effort to be
enough
but
not too much

enough

to look at
smile at
love at

squelch the anger
bite your tongue
so he will look
and like
and love

he is turned on
by the softness
but we are screaming
about the shit
that is hard to scream about

run
keep running
from a girl
with the world at her fingertips

they will simplify you
widdle you down
to a body
and some long hair
and maybe you get to be funny

he just wants a
‘chill’ girl
a calm girl
who swallows her fire
so he can have his

watered down to a middle ground
to an average
that is not insulting nor exciting
that is all that you’re allowed to be

small
and
safe
and
sane

shallow waters
and lukewarm sins

and it’s not his fault
someone else told him that
and someone else told him that
and someone else told him that

but no one told me that.