a letter

i am not something to stare at
not a body for your amusement
i have a name you do not know
and an inner life behind these eyes

i am not an art exhibit
meant to be observed
not a plaything for your pleasure
not a spectacle for your viewing

i should not have to shrink myself,
cover up, or look away
to feel safe in my own skin
to walk without fear

my clothes are not permission
my silence is not consent
my presence is not a promise
and my body is not yours
to claim or consume

my existence is not an invitation

for anything whatsoever

i am simply here

asking for nothing

but the freedom to be