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  • Public Speaking
  • Niki Herd

You want to know why there aren'tmore cute girls in speech class

and I feel like I should offer a historylesson on the objectification of women, or

suggest more attention be paidto your grades, which are miserably sore.

Instead, I'm reminded of the boyfrom this morning's commute

how he model-walked his freedomdown that thread of a bus aisle

in his bright purples and pinks, and wholike you girl, is confident in youth

and a young sexuality in a worldhesitantly unraveling itself towards

progress while still clinging to the easypronunciation of words like:

bull-dagger, faggot, sissy and dyke.

A world never safe when one brickinches itself away, how the rest

of the wall fears more will followand the institution come tumbling down.

Next week you will visit again, this

time with a pretty girl on your armand while the office workers avert

their eyes to this unsealed romance [End Page 91] we will talk class and grades and plans

for spring break. And as you leavethe office with your hand in unison

with the hand of the woman you're withyou will never hear the words lurking

silent behind averted eyes.You will never get to see my ever so

discreet, but proud smile, tight likesome kind of fist raised in the air. [End Page 92]

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