Getting Away with Patriarchy
First, tell your daughter to do all the
dishes
she scrubs, watch her dreams
being washed away, soapy and smeary
crushed, under the eyes of indifferent
sons
Second, prepare your daughter for her
wedding
discuss her entourage and bridal outfits
she tries them on, watch her education
being discarded, blood-red and
autocratic
crushed, under the weight of an
unknown groom
Third, ask your daughter to stay quiet
when the family discusses finances
she bites her lip, feeling silly and meek
for spending hours studying bitcoin
crushed, under the opinions of older
men
Fourth-finally, tell your son to be strong
and manly, what does manly even
mean?
he stifles his emotions, firm and resilient
spending eons eclipsing his tears
crushed, under a facade of toxic
masculinity
don’t ask, don’t tell
no pain, no complaint
no crime perpetrated
this is how
you effectively
get away with patriarchy.

Published in I’m Looking, Humaira Kapadia.