she turned
unwillingly against her will,
by the stroke of faith
and lottery played
by virtue of birth

she became
one of those diligent
bowed, sad women
who live on a long course
of docile, thankless servitude

she lived 
in fear of showing,
saying or doing the wrong thing
her desires swallowed
dreams doused and denied

she smiled
pretending to have
no misgivings about life
but when you looked closely
silent desperation stood stark and pathetic

© 2019 Jacqueline

 

I know many women like this. Maybe you know one too. They are all around you. Maybe you used to be one of them.