You are her mother. Why did you not warn her, hold her like a rotting boatand tell her that men will not love herif she is covered in continents, if her teeth are small colonies, if her stomach is an islandif her thighs are borders? What man wants to lie downand watch the world burnin his bedroom? Your daughter ’s face is a small riot, her hands are a civil war, a refugee camp behind each ear, a body littered with ugly things. But God, doesn’t she wearthe world well? . Warsan Shire
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You are her mother. Why did you not warn her, hold her like a rotting boat and tell her that men will not love her if she is covered in continents, if her teeth are small colonies, if her stomach is an island, if her thighs are borders? What man wants to lie down and watch the world burn in his bedroom? Your daughter’s face is a small riot, her hands are a civil war, a refugee camp behind each ear, a body littered with ugly things. But God doesn’t she wear the world well?

Source: Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth

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More Quotes By Warsan Shire
  1. With you, intimacy colours my voice.even ‘hello’ sounds like ‘come here'.
  2. How far have you walked for men who’ve never held your feet in their laps?
  3. Loving you was like going to war I never came back the same.
  4. Your daughter is ugly. She knows loss intimately, carries whole cities in her belly. As a child, relatives wouldn’t hold her. She was splintered wood and sea water. <span style="margin:15px; display:block"></span>They said she reminded them of the war. On her fifteenth birthday you taught herhow...
  5. Don't assume, ask. Be kind. Tell the truth. Don't say anything you can't stand behind fully. Have integrity. Tell people how you feel.
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