Double Standards

Written by Ana-Maria Lee

They say to show and never tell

Society is a game we all know too well

A classic game of cat and mouse

Living in a reality of the hunt and the hunter

A hash cold truth reveals its cold front

For this truth is much like a curse that lives on

Curses that prey on the innocence and anyone it acts upon

Is it possible to find an antidote to change someone’s mentality? Can you break a cycle and remove the curse to get a result?

Stand still, look pretty and smile while wearing the latest style

You must be the soft-spoken bride walking down the aisle

All eyes are on you. You were born for this. It’s your role in life

The next step after being wed comes with having a child

Stand still, look pretty and smile while having pride

I mean, this is what you always wanted, isn’t it what you taught?

You must show but never show up too much.

You have to remember your role, your position, and your ranking Be assertive but not too much

You remember that you have to be the opposite

All eyes counting on you to make a mess

You are underpaid, underqualified, overworked, and frankly under a bunch of stress. You do the work better than anyone else, but is it your fault?

A societal curse you and many others share from long ago You and I wear the pants, but we can never fill them out We made so many processes, yet we are still backward We made so many changes, yet we still live with standards Only time could tell, but how much more time do we need?

Ana-Maria Lee