Laura's Playground presents the Transgendered Poetry of Dora Leigh.

When I Was A Little Girl

When I was a little girl
I would travel so far
there was a train, a plane, and my
dads old car

we would travel for hours, my little
girlfriend and me
we would be so excited about
our afternoon tea
in the courtyard we'd dance and sing
with such glee

in pink dresses we sat on white
chairs in the yard
awaiting our tea to be served by
the court guard

'til my father comes in with a frown....

a tea set, a doll,
they're the wrong kind toys
now go out and play like the good little boys

when I was a boy
maybe five or maybe six
tried as I might, the broken little boy
I could not fix

So I'd learn how to hide
the little girl inside
I learned how to lie
and never ever cry
to be a big boy
I would always try

But, the boy in me
would never be...
good enough

of all my close friends
I would always ask
help me find a way to finish
this dirty task

there were talk of guns, there were talks of knives
maybe a rope

a rope was there, and
a clothesline pole
down a short memory lane
I would stroll

so I hung the boy
with so much care
too much to carry
too much to bear

my father did rescue
my little frame
no-ones at fault
no-one to blame

I could not even do this right....

But, I made up my mind
than little girl spirit
would be left far behind

And, I would practice and practice
at being a boy
never again, be a girl
with her toy

written by
Dora Leigh