Valkyrie by Valerie Parente

They told me to find a knight in shining armor
if I wanted someone to save me
so I polished my nails
and became my own source of bravery.

They told me to dull my shine
so that I wouldn’t distract
then pretended I never had
any power to take back.

They wanted me to yield my worth
and rely on the opposite sex
so I decided to wield my sword
and damn my own distress.

They tried to make me feel small
so I wouldn’t notice
that I am a force
to be reckoned with.

– Valerie Parente (2-20-2026)