Affection as doublethink

They taught the word affection

Affection as doublethink

Doublethink to control

After all!

Control is only but caring

Caring, of course, for safety

Safety of a bird by caging

Caging and clipping its wings

Those,

Wings to fly and to be

To be free to live

Live through storms

Storms and sunshine

Sunshines sweet and warm

Warms too much sometimes

Sometimes- that was the cause

Cause for which they taught

Yes,

They taught her, affection

Affection as doublethink.

This piece is intended to be a satire, on how we restrict and are restricted in the name of affection, with society making choices for us, choosing what we wear, how we sit, where we sit, when we go out, who we live with -this list is really endless.

Care, in all its spirits, also limits a very specific gender. It justifies itself morphing into control when needed, equating itself with bitter medicine necessary to save women from “sometimes”. But that’s one disempowering approach, isn't it?

Surely, we can do better.