Pantyhose
Tight top
Slim skirt
Mascara
Hairspray
Heels
I can’t lie back on grass to watch the clouds
I can’t sprint through the rain
I can’t sit cross-legged on the railway platform when my hips hurt
I can’t relax on the train: the seats face others
and every second I check my legs
are shut
First published in Tamba 59, December 2016