Poem: Soft
smile. nod. be soft.
Hello Reader,
I hope this poem will speak to women, especially expats, who know the little nuances in social dynamics, most of the time triggered by men in more senior positions.
I recognise those moments when I want to be my true self, but I know that, to please, I should just smile and nod, accept feeling lesser, and meet the expectations of expressing myself softly. As if I have nothing to say, as if I'm not opinionated, not funny, not living an interesting life…
But I am and I do, all of the above.
Soft He walked in and assumed that the attention of the group is on him. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft. He mistook converstion for a monologue. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft. He glanced at her with judgement in his smirk. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft. He seemed surprised that she had a voice too. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft. He panicked because her accent was not British or American. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft. He looked around, seeking someone's help to translate for him from English to English, as asking her directly again would be too embarrassing. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft. He never aknowledged her again. She: Smile. Nod. Be soft.
Thank you,
Markéta N.
Understanding the situation and attitudes given by other people is very valuable, especially being able to maintain a calm atmosphere without harming anyone, even though the situation is undesirable.
I’m sorry you’ve been made to feel lesser than. I think a lot of women can relate to this feeling.
What helps me in these moments is the realization that it is impossible to impress everyone. Impossible to make everyone happy. So the best (and only) thing you can really do is to continue being true to yourself.
Creating art like this is a great way of doing that 😊🤍