When You Ask Me Why I Fight

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When You Ask Me Why I Fight by Alexa Hulse - Photo by Sonja Lippman

blood-stained sheets
like a declaration of war
we are blamed for our own wounds
hide the gashes and burns
behind gingham-printed dresses
and perfume that smells like summer.
we are a sin to be committed
charged with the crime of being female,
forced to serve life sentences of silence.
but it will never be enough,
in their eyes

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Alexa Hulse is a member of the class of 2020 from Marvin Ridge High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She attends Hollins University and is majoring in Gender and Women's Studies. She is currently interning for Lilith Magazine. You can find more of her work @futureghostpoems on Instagram.
Accompanying photo: “Freedomless” by Sonja Lippman