Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture &amp; Social Justice Issue 46.2 (2025) Day of the Girl Child Poetry Winners: First Place
A World Nothing Like Mine
by Mariana Martinez Caloca
Maybe her curfew won’t be until nine Maybe she will walk the streets when it’s awfully quiet Maybe she won’t pretend to be on the phone, when a tall man is walking by her, when she is all alone She won’t get unsolicited, unnecessary, and inappropriate commentary from older men She won’t get “manterrupted” over a senseless rant She won’t get catcalled as she walks by, a car won’t stop to kindly offer her a ride Her mom won’t justify his step dad’s sexist and misogynistic jokes; inappropriate indiscretions won’t be taken all in good fun Her 7th grade math teacher won’t have to watch her from beyond; she will be served justice for those lives, that are now gone Her body and soul won’t belong to those men who only leave behind their wallets and bones Woman won’t disappear every day; their mothers won’t be tearing, tears of despair They won’t be punished for walking outside, for having opinions or driving a car They won’t be forced to cover their hair; they won’t be beaten until they lay dead Woman will get to live, and not just survive This world that I hope for, looks nothing like mine Maybe her “NO” will be actually taken as a “NO” and not as an invitation to force her to say “Yes” Maybe her world isn’t focused around protecting daughters, rather it will educate their sons Maybe her eyes will look just like her mum’s; I hope this new world I dream of does her no wrong
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She will hear the screams of our rage, the loud noises we made just for her She will be believed, unlike I was She will live in a world that looks nothing like ours Her mind won’t even recall what the patriarchy took from us all Her opinion will be loud to all, and very clear, though I’m proud of her I’ll try not to tear Her ears will only seem to hear the echoes of us who first lived here, in order for her new world to appear Being a woman won’t be a liability, won’t be a crime The life she is living looks nothing like mine.
Mariana Martinez Caloca (she/her) was born in Mexico City. She is the daughter of Jose Luis Martinez Perez, an employment lawyer and a notable activist for labour rights. Mariana’s involvement in feminist activism started from a young age. Her first direct contact with femicide was at age 14 when her math teacher Susana Garrido was brutally stabbed to death by her ex-husband. This moment marked Mariana’s life as she hopes to obtain justice for her be loved teacher. When Mariana moved to Canada in August 2021. she vowed to continue with her work in the feminist movement and to bring attention to the unfortunate reality of many Latin American women.
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