you have mistaken me
for a damsel in distress
waiting upon a handsome prince
to rescue me
slay the dragon
you seem
to be under
the mistaken impression
that I have no backbone
that previous violations
of my boundaries
as a girl child
has left me spineless
voiceless
you appear
to be implying
that I am looking
for the right man to come
and save me
from my darkness
lead me lovingly
into the light
into normalcy
far away
from the broken thing
you seem to feel
I am
you seem to believe
that when I write
about my sexuality
that this actually
has something to do
with you
let me set
the record straight
I am the fucking dragon
I saved myself long ago
I have a steel-reinforced spine
a barbed tongue
that roars truth
I have learned to love
my darkness
I have learned to love
my light
I have no desire to hear
what inappropriate
unwelcome things
you would like to do to my body
last time I checked
you are not my lover
my words are not
an engraved invitation
into my bed
or the inside
of my head
my pen is a flaming sword
and I am not
afraid of fire

© 2017 Revised 2018 & 2020 Christine Elizabeth Ray – All Rights Reserved