Ellie Week 10: PAP "Girls" by Nicole Blackman

The poem “Girls” by Nicole Blackman is about what girls will stereotypically go through after a breakup. It also gives advice on how to get over your ex and reassures you that there are other girls going through what you’re going through too. One of my favorite lines is “When he leaves, he leaves a space, a big or little airless place that begs to be filled.” This shows how many people will feel empty after a breakup and need to keep themself busy to fill the hole. Blackman mentions this as well and says “So you work and clean and call and cook and write and drink and read and sleep and shop and say This is fine.” She also mentions how some relationships end for the better, maybe they could’ve been toxic or abusive, but you still have a connection to them. “It's kind of like losing a dog. You'll miss him but maybe it's better this way.” I think this line out of all of them is the most relatable. Even after losing someone like a friend, a lot of times it is for the better and you stopped being friends for a reason, even though you may miss them. Finally, the poem ends with this really profound line: “And when it feels like you're imploding, like you're the only one who wants to lie down in the street, know that there will always be girls who stream through this city with their mouths slightly open trying to breathe and waiting to be kissed.” This line can mean a lot. First, it’s reassuring to the person going through the breakup that there are plenty of other girls, or people for that matter too, just like him/her. The second part of this line where girls keep their mouth open and wait to be kissed is a lot more deep I feel. It could mean that the breakup was so rough that the girls are barely coming out alive from it and they’re waiting to be kissed because deep-down, no matter how independent or girlboss they are, they all just want to be loved, even if it ends up like this. Personally, I find this poem to be a bit strange. I really like the way it delves into the aftermath of a breakup, but it’s a bit stereotypical in the way it talks about girls and how they’ll try to fill the gap left by a man, ew. I believe that a woman, not a girl, can be perfectly happy on her own, without a man. Overall, I like this poem, but probably wouldn’t read it for comfort after a breakup since it just kind of makes you feel worse. Sorry.