the empire of unsheathed claws

Old lovers publish your diaries;
Old rivals publish your pictures.
When everyone who wants you is a king,
You're going to end up being queen.

The deceivers publish the lies they want the world to believe.
The foolish publish the thoughts they've been given to think.
And the nodding heads nod in their ignorant judgement.

But I meant what I said.
No matter who you are, or whether I ever intended to say it to you:
I meant what I said.
I wanted to make it clear that my beauty is mine
And my beauty is power, not a curse.

The out-takes are there on your screen
From a cutting room floor on a station we lost vorns ago.
That's not the frame I'm in now, but nothing can make me ashamed of it.
Gawk at the scars on my panel, but the chains in my hands have been broken.
The mech who left those marks on me is dead.
Remember that there is a side of me nobody sees
Till my claws are already under their plate.

Look into my eyes.
Confront the desires you have tried to disown.
Resist violation.
Rise up and transform.