by Samantha Mok (Grade 10 – Rizal)
They have told us to be silent
Because flowers never really talk,
Only there to be pretty and sweet
And delicate and pliant and plucked.
They have told us words of mock,
Of blame, of curse, and yet thirst,
With tongues that they forget are hewn
From the wombs of their own mothers
They have told us to be happy, to smile
Because why do we always look so sad
When we hear and see everything and
Nothing, but shouldn’t feel the feelings we have
They have told us to be good, then better,
Then perfect, for we can only be too real
They have told us we can be anything
But everything we can barely wish to be
They still tell us we’re just women
And that flowers never really talk
But women aren’t made of petals
And the world needs to learn such.
Graphics by Justin Wingkee (Grade 10 – Luna)