they called me a whore.
a slut. a homewrecker.
but what did i do except for pose in such a way that they deemed improper?
a strap was a strap. what did it matter if it went over my shoulder or not?
i was the bearer of choice, and i chose how i wanted to express myself.
it is not wrong for a woman to wish to express herself,
even if it is “scandalous.”
and for what?
all that and for just
a strap on a dress.
tears rolled down my face on my wedding day.
a chasm had spread in my chest, and the thought of just living was unbearable.
what right did the men around me have, to sell and barter me off like a possession?
i never got a choice, never got a voice.
they sold me off to a sniveling slug sixty years older than me.
his eyes crawled down my neck the entire procession.
this was not a marriage of love, it could never be.
but what could i have done?
i was never given a choice.
i did nothing wrong.
i was only a teen.
my ladies-in-waiting wept as i was led silently to the stone block.
i had no idea where i was. i could see nothing, for my eyes were covered by a blindfold.
what did i ever do wrong that made Mary hate me so,
so much that death was my punishment?
i wasn’t given a choice.
i didn’t choose to be Queen.
but of course my cries were ignored.
nobody would care anyways.
i was only a pawn,
easily used,
easily pawned off,
and so i stayed quiet and calm
as i was led to my demise.
Paintings referenced:
1. Madame X by John Singer Sargent.
2. The Unequal Marriage by Vasili Pukirev.
3. The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche.
Chloe Lin is a sophomore at Kennett High School, PA. Her hobbies include reading, writing, painting, and eating good food. She hopes that one day she will be able to publish even more of her writing, and she is currently working on a poetry collection.
"174345" by SimpleSkye is licensed under CC BY 2.0.