The Path Tomorrow

I am a new woman of this world
born at thirteen years old
in a world of shame
of a woman's face
i might as well be bare flesh.
they treat me as though
I'm naked.

I am fortunate in this life
to attend an all girls school
in a world of shame
of a woman's education
I might never leave the house
to tend to my husband
and flock of children.

I was walking to school
on a very hot sunny day
my friend and i were talking
about tulips.
We learned about tulips just yesterday.
They are beautiful, so fair and tropical.
Where only pale, small flowers grow
they might as well be alien.

The thunder of motorcycles
grew closer behind us.
Boys sometimes raced on our
long flat roads.
But just as they sped up,
they slowed down.
I shouldn't have looked.
I shouldn't have turned to face them.
Not everybody believes in this new world
where i can look at a man.
As i turned and looked,
men threw acid on my face
it dripped to my clothes
my friend caught some too
under the sun,
to the sound of thunder fading
we melted
in this new world.

Our parent's were hurt
and as scared as I was.
I wore the face unrecognized
by family I've known my entire life.
some stared,
I'm glad i could not see myself.
After several weeks of curing,
My friend and I returned to school.
My parent's demanded we take a different path
every day to school.
Do not let anyone know which way you will go.
The path today, wont be the path tomorrow.

The yard around the school
is unbeaten ground.
Every path in this new world
is the path less traveled by.