Blessing/Curse/Woman

[ellajam]

Because I am a woman,
I am expected to be an impossible version of myself.
Because I am a woman,
Every lens I look through is distorted to imperfection.
Because I am a woman,
I try to turn every ounce of hate for myself into love for you,
Until I am bone and skin.
Because I am a woman,
I was taught that this is the only way I would get love back.
Because I am a woman,
The only way to be happy is to call for an uprising,
To fight an unholy war until I return to the soil.
Because I am a woman,
My existence is catastrophe.
But because I am a woman,
I am strong enough to survive.

Hi,SS. While your poem is very hard-hitting,
"Because I am a woman,
My existence is catastrophe."
there are a few things I think you could try that might make it more effective.

"I am expected to be an impossible version of myself." Here I think you are missing a great opportunity to present us with a metaphor or simile that will plant an image and let us imagine what this impossible version is.

"I try to turn every ounce of hate for myself into love for you,
Until I am bone and skin." This is an interesting thought, I wonder how one might do that.

I don't think the refrain is helping you, your title already tells us this is about a woman, you might wait until the end to bring it up again.

Hope this helps.