Narcissistic Daughter.

A reserved Bulgarian
woman stares back
at me, a wayward
on streets where birds
dirty themselves
in poetry-
I am sprawled
across a moldy tub,
the drain squealing
for life.

I cannot grasp the
chalky bar of soap,
stretching limbs
to my aspirations.
Will I serve as a
journal for my country,
or sulk near
uncaring alleyways,
where the milk rots
outside and no one
speaks sense.

These armpits remain
naturally unshaven,
while the half-open window
near my shoulder blade
scolds me for relying
on womanhood and
abstract art,

instead of cultivation
in businesses that don't
have personalities,

like I may possibly have.

I am not here
to be humiliated;
I am still woman
with honeysuckle
scenting my skin's
many tangents.

But maybe I am here
to interview red carpet
cavaliers, and ask them
why they so desperately
want me to change?

-
Written 1/27/14

Probably the most random/weird prompt which was unshaven armpits so I thought, why not? People do openly talk about and worry about being perfectly shaven for this or that event. So I chose to write in a different perspective of someone who does not feel the need to shave yet feels pushed by society. Also remember a conversation at work where a co-worker had been to a European beach, and had seen some women who chose not to shave. So I raised some questions: Is this a cultural norm? Is it a personal choice? Is it mere vanity? I've seen art with women openly shown having smudges or a good deal of hair under their armpits. Is this just modern art? Also read that in the 20th century, businesses starting promoting women to start shaving armpits/legs. And that women would possibly be looked down upon, seen as "dirty" or "unhygienic" because of such hair shown.