Alana Hayes
Eat.
Eat the man who calls himself your master.
Eat your soft voice.
Eat your tender heart.
show him your body is made of unbreakable things.
show him how difficult it is to dissect you
and place your body parts into piles based on value.
Eat his words
when he blames you for the ways other people try to treat your body
because it must be your fault.
chew them up and spit them back in his face
so that he knows how bad they taste.
return the plate
and demand to speak to the chef.
tell your story.
tell him what it’s really like.
cook the meal yourself.
stir it all into the pot
then Eat
and Eat and Eat.
don’t let the world starve you.
Alana Hayes is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she received a BA in English Literature and another in Women and Gender Studies. Her poetry revolves around themes of Judaism, feminism, and social justice issues. Follow her on Instagram @womanasriot.
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