Lighter Poem by Manish Bowzzy

O quitenned all,
As she found her last cigar.
She reaches out to
find the only light.
Shadows stared deep into her eyes.
She clinked, flicked, lit and flunked her only
Last bit of light and hope.
Shadows grew bigger-
She inhaled fear. Loads of it.
Coughed out comfort. Loads of it.

So, what does she do,
She is striped of shame.
Whispers, 'she's a woman'
'she can't breath'
'what kind of world do we live in'

'she deserves her freedom'
That was it.

She couldn't hold
Fear back.
She had to let it out.
She stared back.
Deep into the shadow's
Eyes. Burning them of her
Freedom and ignorance.
'that's how a woman should be'
'brave'
'yeah, not you.'
Except here, she couldnt stare back.
She lives with fear.
Never stretches her arm out.
To retrieve her light.
To clink, flick, light and flunk her
Hope. Freedom. Choice.

She was bold.
Not them.
Not they.
They weren't allowed to be.
Yet, she was allowed to.
She decided to.
It doesnt
Work that way elsewhere.
It could.