My Dad Said To Me
When I was a little girl
My dad said to me
“You do what you feel like
And you be what you wanna be"
He said that
With so much love
So much conviction
And today I think to myself
Was it because he didn’t know
How the world works
Or because he knew exactly how it does.
He told me
I am special and then sent me out into a world which told me I am not
Time and time again
He sent me into a world
Where my body isn’t mine
Where my thoughts aren’t welcome
He said to me
He said
“women can do anything"
And sent me out in a world which constantly said
“Women shouldn’t”
“women mustn’t”
He lied to me
Said I was free to be myself
And sent me out in a world
Where being isn’t even imaginable
Where I am being judged on what I wear
And people stare
He said I was meant to lead
But the world called me bossy
he said I was kind
The world calls me easy
He said I didn’t take shit from anybody
But to this world I am a bitch
Dad still said you be what you wanna be
I said “dad, the world doesn’t want me to be"
And he called me silly
It doesn’t have to be
You be, so the world can see.
What must and what should be.
