I Had Nothing Against Pretty Dresses

By Alesha Hector-Allen

I had nothing against my pretty dresses

I just preferred when they were covered in mud

I had the same amount of love for the array of flats and boots I owned

They just didn’t like to stay in pairs

I also had nothing – I might add – against being clean

But would relish in how my sweat would glean

The way my skin would gleam

After running rampant chasing the boys my brother played with

So, it is no wonder I am no neat girl

Although I was a petite girl

I never saw the differences others did between femininity and masculinity

As I stemmed, as we all do, from something altogether in between

Something illegible, intangible and otherworldly