EYES ON YOU

You saw the dress on the mannequin
You saw that mannequin so tall and slim
You saw that mannequin so shappy
You saw its breasts like ripe pawpaws
You saw its buttocks as round as basket balls
You saw its waist like a Coca-Cola bottle
And felt you could be as lovely as the mannequin in that dress?

II
Ei Abena Sirikye
Didn’t you see your flat chest?
Didn’t you know your back is at par with your bumbum?
Abena Sirikye,
You know your stomach is like the Kwahu Mountain
And you’ve a beautiful shape only suited to you
So why waste money to buy what isn’t you when many a seamstress run free?

III
And Abena Sirikye
You ask for my opinion when you have a mirror?
I believe you saw the horror in there
And want to push the harshness of it into my mouth
But you’ll never get a comma from me
…talk less a full stop
Because I won’t give you words to peddle me as a body shamer
I sure wouldn’t give you words which will make me your monster
I am not a model and I am not the mannequin
That’s why I dress according to my body
I don’t envy any mannequin

IV
So I change the subject and you frown
You want me to put on you a beautiful crown?
Ei, I can’t change the eyes of all in the town
Am I a goddess?
And so I leave and you start shouting I’m mean
Deduce what you can deduce
You won’t even get a child’s “mmm” from me
Next time use the eyes on you
And leave me be please
Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia ©, October 13, 2021