i wear rings.
i decorate my hands like a strong man’s—
like a king’s.
my hands aren’t dainty,
they’ve never been pretty,
but they can look strong.
but i’m not a man.
i want to have the power of a man,
even though i am not one.
however,
the girl i wanted to be is gone,
she never existed at all.
her hands were pretty
she was very pretty.
i am very pretty
but my hands aren’t pretty
but i adorn them with rings
to be strong like a man’s
without being a man
i am not the girl i wanted to be
but i’m not the man i could never be
and i’m glad for both things
i am not the girl my history declared
but i’m not the man i’ll never be
and i’m glad for both things.
i’m not the girl i’ll never be
and i’m not the man i’ll never be
i’m me
and i’m glad for those three things
and for my man hands
and for my rings
and that i’m very pretty.
i am very pretty.