Because I Am Young, And White, And A Woman

Because I am young, and White, and a Woman

Clerks hold doors for me at the grocery store,

offer to reach the top shelf carry bags to my car.

The Midas man washes my windshield for free,

vacuums the seats, leaves his phone number

on the back of my empty receipt.

TSA workers call me by name,

Spare me a pat down upgrade my seat

to bulkhead window, don’t bat an eye

when I undo my seat belt,

it’s so damn stifling.

My health care covers the dentist,

optometrist, massage therapist.

I will never give birth in the emergency room

or be denied employment

I can smile my way to a waitressing gig

serve over-fried food to people like me

earn ridiculous tips from a table of men

who eye my chest, eyes like theirs

make me afraid to walk home alone

without pepper spray, eyes like theirs

make me afraid.

But I’m not afraid of police officers,

they treat me like daughters

I cry to escape paying a fine,