You do not have to be pretty if you don’t want to

“When your little girl
asks you if she’s pretty
your heart will drop like a wineglass
on the hardwood floor
part of you will want to say
of course you are, don’t ever question it
and the other part
the part that is clawing at
you
will want to grab her by her shoulders
look straight into the wells of
her eyes until they echo back to you
and say
you do not have to be if you don’t want to
it is not your job
both will feel right
one will feel better
she will only understand the first
when she wants to cut her hair off
or wear her brother’s clothes
you will feel the words in your
mouth like marbles
you do not have to be pretty if you don’t want to
it is not your job”
― Caitlyn Siehl

Image Credits : Rob Woodcox Photography

Fear me more than Medusa

But fear me more than Medusa,
for my hair and for my locks,
as though they bear no poison,
they leave men rooted on the spot.
And they swoon when I blink,
and they believe me when I lie,
and they think that it be love,
and when I leave them they do cry.
so fear me more than Medusa,
for my eyes and for their spell.
They do not turn men to stone,
but to dust that flows in hell.
– Saransh Gupta