You know that time when we first turn teenagers
And there's so much awkwardness
Around the members of the opposite sex

Well I was just sitting today wondering
When does the transition take place -
Eyes that stayed fixed on the ground slowly start travelling south of my face

You'd think everyone is a bad apple
And I assure you, it is not so -
But when I walk on the streets alone almost every time it is the ones with a sprinkle of grey in their hair
Whose gaze wanders low

And I've never felt this way at school, you know
Though that is where the "youth" is supposed to be
So then who are these people because of whom I carry around keys and pepper sprays
Always restraining me from being me

We shy away from an entire gender
Because our sense of security has been destroyed by these offenders
But Patriarchy was not shown to me by the 13 year old boys -
It was shown to me by the 40 year old men,
Who were supposed to be my first protectors.