S A F I A E L H I L L O

What happens when you irritate the perpetually irritated?

ask any of the ten times the world has ended
in the past two hours
anything about me that you need to know, eyes
widened, like if you stretch them out big enough i’ll
find the threat you’ve tried to piecemeal out of every time
i was kind to you and every time
you thought that to mean that you should not be afraid of me. you can
try your scary eyes at me all day if that’s how you
choose to waste this good weather, but know
that a snarl and a stern voice are a weak imitation
of everything about me that you fear. which is to say,
learning the words to a sorceress’ spells does not
teach you her magic. so try your stern, try your
big-girl voice, try your shoulders back and chin raised and
try to keep your gaze from faltering. i’m not here to stop your playtime.
but if you bring your borrowed weapons into the air
around my face, and square your shoulders and act like i
will not hurt every feeling in your body without raising
an eyebrow, do not come to me for a handkerchief when
i hurt every feeling in your body without raising an eyebrow. you’re
a smart girl- before you strapped on some woman-shoulders and
tried to start a war, you should have considered the reasons
why everybody you know is scared of me.

               A 'dart' by Safia Elhillo