Tiger Eyes

TIGER EYES

Colors flowed and thoughts sprang like tigers,
in the world of a little girl.
Not enough color to suit her needs,
so she added more,
and more.

"Tone it down", she was told,
be more like anyone else.
But the bold colors and red lips,
gave her joy from expression.

Brilliant was replaced with boring.
Forced upon by milk-toast hypocrites,
pretending to have her back.

In secret she dreams of red walls.

Your thoughts are worthless, she's told.
For we all know everything is black and white.
And the music that flowed from her heart,
stopped playing to a toxic audience.

Colored visions funnel into a dream abyss.
She panics.....she grieves....for they're dying.
Bleeding into a suppressed life.

But tigers with eyes like kaleidoscopes,
wait in hiding nearby.
They wait for her to see them again.

Realizing her true self is dying too,
She becomes her own woman,
and they venture into her sight.
Now she sees them everywhere,
flicking their brush-like tails of color.

They pounce, they paint,
and she is joyfully reborn.
Now she rises with kaleidoscope tiger eyes.

by Kimarie Manhart-Freeman


author's notes:
Although God hates the arrogant and proud;
He never said we are to be doormats either.
The Virtuous Woman in the book of Proverbs
was a confident woman who carried herself
with authority and grace. She designed her own
clothes, she provided wealth for her household.
She is compassionate and merciful as well. For
mercy is authority and power held in check.
We need to encourage girls to embrace
their gifts and talents, and to encourage them
in their expressions of personality.