So they say
They say you can’t fight fire with fire -
becoming water didn’t protect me from third-degree burns.
They say softness combats hardness -
it made it harder to detect the lowest blows.
They say it’s all in your delivery -
speaking eloquently didn’t save me from their muzzle.
They say dogs don’t bite the hands that feed them -
teeth marks decorate my skin like tattoos.
They say smart girls know how to avoid the bad ones -
my high distinctions left me wanting.
They say anything worthwhile is hard work -
I laboured until my bones ached.
They say
They say
They say
-who the fuck are ‘they’ anyway?
