I am a woman,

My muscles are defined, but they don’t define me

My hair is short,

And I just smile at the conflict your eyes

when your “Can I help you sir…or ma’am…or sir…” trails off.

Because I am a woman,

When you say “You’d look so pretty if you tried.”

You tell me you aren’t looking at all.

And when you say women wear dresses,

And you say women paint their nails

And women have ponytails,

You tell me you don’t perceive women for what we are, but what we do.

Because I do none of these things and

I am a woman,

I am unmitigated,

Undiluted,

Unadulterated

Freely me

Because I am a woman,

My skin is soft,

My lips are warm,

And when I make love to her, the cry of a woman passes my lips

I am the sound, taste, feel and smell of a woman,

However you see me, whatever you think you see does not change the immutable,

I am a woman

And now that you’re told

don’t you fucking forget it.