No, I didn’t shave my legs for this. I can’t remember the last time I painted my nails, the last time I glossed my lips, the last time I let a pit stain bring me shame. I don’t plan on hiding my stretch marks, my under eye circles, my gray hairs; I’m a sucker for show-and-tell. Let me be clear, I’m an adult mammal–I’ve got hair on my arms, an appetite, the urge to tear your throat out if you come after my young. I don’t TikTok or Snapchat or crypto-anything, but I do make up verbs and sing while I cook dinner and dance around the house when I could be folding laundry. My personal style is high-waisted jeans, leggings-are-pants, and animal print is a neutral. Don’t get me wrong–I wear my insecurities like custom jewels. But I still know all the dance moves from those videos on TRL. I had a silver flip phone and butterfly clips before you were born. I’m not so good at volume control. Let me be clear–I’m a grown-ass woman.

// birthday poem inspired by @amykaypoetry ‘s poem-a-day prompt: Grown Up. Originally shared on IG on 4/30/2023.