Tears of Freedom

​

Water seeped into my boots

as I disturbed the stillness

of the puddles with my inconsistent pace.

The wind was so strong that I almost lost my balance on

the cobblestone road.

 

I cannot be late to today’s picket.

What would Susan and the others think?

My nerves chewed at my stomach.

Is it my tardiness or the thought

that more women will be locked up?

 

My corset pushed at my rib cage,

making it hard to breathe through

the thick fog.

It is like how women were trapped

in a cage they called home.

 

The dark clouds swirled above my head

as the wind howled in my ears.

The rain droplets stung my face

before they slowly trickled down my cheeks.

 

Hundreds of years worth of tears

fell from the sky.

​

Katie Chiong