Just Thought That You Should Know
by A. A. Parr
for Lianne L.

Your voice, he said,
a smile
after
an unexpected compliment,

and I am thinking
only of
what that compliment
might have been

and why he thought
he had any right
to it at all,
to you, at all.

See, I am tired
of men thinking
our smiles are
public domain;

I am so very tired
of men telling us
we’re unexpectedly
beautiful.

Yes, I’m damn tired
of men assuming
we aren’t already aware
of the things that he, at 3:47am,

     Just thought that you should know...

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