Member-only story
Poetry
I don’t need your permission to be sexy
or laugh and smile with all my teeth
i don’t need to lose 20 pounds
to wear a crop top
exposing my soft belly
and petal pink stretch marks
to the loving sun
i don’t need to wear a bra all the time
my breasts are allowed to sway freely
like mimosa blossoms in a spring breeze
i don’t need to wear long shirts
that cover the highs and lows of my body
the dips and curves of my skin
that tell a story
i don’t need to hide my history
and the fact that i’ve had children
doesn’t erase my innate sensuality
that lights up like a beacon
allowing ships lost in the midnight hour
to find my shine
i am a round moon of a woman
my smile is a crescent
my cheeks are half moons
and my thighs are an eclipse
i don’t need to quiet my voice
to soothe those who judge me
my voice is nectar to hummingbirds
and gold to searching sailors
they say sirens are dangerous
but my song is sweet
crash your ships
upon my shining cliff
and see if the tales are true
