19. She Wears

She Wears

because he cannot control his eyes, she wears

she wears the burqa, the dupatta hung her neck to swing down across her modesty

he said, it’s a man’s world, so he wears the mid-evening stroll through cool night air warmed the black tea

she dares not walk without fear for he will dare her walk without her fear of him, his wrath, her undraped neck and breasts; her view from beneath black blinds where she stores her gaze stoically within herself to reveal nothing of herself except her fear of him

she can be controlled but he cannot control himself, so, she bares his weighted burden, she wears his black burqa and dupatta

she wears ‘cuz, he said, it’s a man’s world, so, she wears