He Told Me I had a “Kangaroo Pouch”
A response to body shaming and the tactless eyes.
Stuff me,
In the pouch of a kangaroo.
Show me how my own protrudes,
To disturb you.
Call it small;
Poke it through.
Soften the blow,
With a smile set soon.
*
Do not be afraid.
You haven’t gone too low.
Frustrate me;
How?
I will not be ashamed.
*
Pluck the root and hair,
From your own nose.
Show me how to lead;
I will follow.
*
When rain red,
Runs white,
When stars laughs,
At rose,
When rose comes
To star;
I will follow.
A/N: In the second stanza, I asked, “Frustrate me; how?
Have you ever reached a point of calm where a partners words no longer have power over you?
The ending uses Adynaton [literal impossibility] to set boundaries: what are your impossible conditions for following a leader? When mouse feeds a bear! Thank you for reading! 🤗🌼🙏🏽
About the Creator
Caitlin Charlton
poetry too close to home
🪄~unique fictional stories 💎 you’ve never known 🪄
📖~ let me read your work, say hi to me, I will leave comments longer than the road, please do return ~ 🙏🏽
📸 YouTube natures finest moments 🎥
~ married👰💍 ~
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Comments (8)
Power and grace are truly yours, Caitlin. Truly a stunning poem and a powerful answer to the withering male gaze. I am amazed at how quickly you have grown as a writer and a poet!
Beautifully done. I love the strength you unveil in this piece. It's not easy to rise above hurtful words and you do so very eloquently.
As the Lord says "Follow me." Good job.
Hugs to you
“Kangaroo Pouch” ? WTF?
He sounds like a tool. God forbid women have a uterus that needs protecting. I always found it insane men are allowed the term "dad bod" as a compliment but women get "mom bod" as a shame. We are the ones that actually carry the child for Christ sake. You were never too much of anything. He just wasn't enough and used you to validate his lack of everything. I wish him the day he deserves.
Clever Caitlin! Kangaroo pouch? I'll need to look up "adynaton" - teach me more! My reaction to my partner inferring my body, eh, stomach resembled a kangaroo pouch would be a flying saucepan to the head.
I liked the way you used adynaton at the end..excellently subtle impossiblities that do not overwhelm the piece. Well done, Caitlin...and for me, the impossiblities are when a partner asks for something unreasonable.