This poem expresses my anger with stereotypes. Everywhere around the world, girls are taught to suppress their feelings, urges, spontaneity, intelligence, sexuality and self-expression in order to conform to various stereotypes. They end up wearing the scars of such conditioning all their lives.

We grow, live and die a stereotype. Mothers--even the most modern and educated among us--fear for their children's safety and, as a result, instruct them to take the "safe" route, or the path less trodden. "Good girls don't do such things" is a tag that trips us up with guilt every time we try to break away.

By raising anger in the reader at systems that need to change, "Lullaby to a Girl Child" is an indirect call for action. Every mother should raise her daughter to face the world with courage and dignity and not bow down to stereotypes.