It's Not

It’s not my dress that defines my womanhood Not my age or my hair Neither my heels not the lipstick I wear Not even the way I walk the ramps The inherent kindness And the thought of being wanted The empathy that feels the pain of a fellow being And the want to be protected The forbearance and patience And the wish to be loved The immense strength that gives birth to a baby And the desire to be adored The myriad thoughts that try to equate things And the envious way I look at my man’s ladies friends It’s not my dress that defines my womanhood Not my age or my hair The cramps of the monthly cycle The stretch marks The taste of that breastfed milk The sleepless nights I brought you up It’s not my dress that defines my womanhood Not my age or my hair Neither my heels not the lipstick I wear Not even the way I walk the ramps But this crazy thought that I penned -puvi-