Caged

"Joto”, they say under their breaths

when they see you alone they call you “Bonito”

in public they shame

in private 

they want to kiss you

these men

confusedfearful men

are the ones 

since young we learned to watch out for

our uncles

paisanos 

vecinos

cousins

men trapped 

in tradición 

our femininity 

is the freedom they want to take from us

its not that we lay with other men the reason they hate us

it is because we are public

unapologetic

no longer fearful

of god

and laws

we are free

sometimes revert to the ways

of our upbringing

loving men that don’t want to be seen with us in public

sometimes even hating

the very same thing that makes us free

“Joto”

the subtle violence 

of the men we love

men who rather love us

caged