#theme: ableism

[collectingpoetry]

ID in alt text and below cut

[Visual ID: Text on white background with a round photo of the poet. Text reads:

"The ABG (Able-Bodied Gaze)

Therese Estacion

                    Itwatches                   alwayswatches

It walks behind me in the park and proceeds

to walk slowly to get a good look It

follows&follows&follows           &watches&watches

&watches               I turn around      and

         Itlooksaway                        I begin to walk as

quickly as I can          gaining some speed but

Itfindsme I stop Itstops I walk slowly again

Itwalksslowlybehindmeagain              Finally I

turn around to say: HELLO but

Itpretends I'm inconsequential that I am

being paranoid It was just minding its own

business all along

                   Why am I bothering It?

           My mistake

                        Itlooks up at the sun feeling absolved

Ityawns                                  It's bored of me already" End ID.]