i tell her it is
hard to avoid them
when nowadays
everyone seems to
conceal their weapons
my mother tells me
the biggest regret
she ever had
was to let her country
get taken over by
those who can’t even
seem to recognize
its beauty
she doesn’t seem
to realize it
hurts the same
even as they
whisper “you’re
so beautiful”
when they are
conquering
your body
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