By Jessica Enriquez
This poem was written in the style of Jericho Brown’s Duplex.
The men in my country have been taught to believe
Women are property.
A plot of land made for a marketable production
Although the plowing makes it infertile
Although the plowing makes it infertile,
Women in the village light altars in the pastures
To burn bodies corrupted by an innate desire for contact
Of gentle fingers sliding against ribs—
Ribs and hips that must be repressed, rebuilt
To please hands outstretched to impose or ravage
Pigweeds, thistle any living thing born outside order
The order of a figure made in the image of God
The women in my country have been raised to believe
They are property.
Featured image courtesy of Bali Fine Art Female Artists Bali.
Want to read more stories like this? Please give us your feedback here!
Latinitas Magazine is a department within Latinitas, a registered nonprofit. Readers like you fund us, so please consider donating today. Thank you!
