Godiva

I
was
Lady
Godiva
once upon a time.
Nobody said take off your clothes
except discreet doctors and nurses behind curtains.
I'm not bothered by nudity,
streaking might be fun.
If I dared
people
would
laugh.

I'm
not
braver
than she was,
Lady Godiva,
but I know how she felt that day.
We have all stood there frightened of dropping our cover
and showing the world who we are.
That crowd is still there,
slightly bored,
waiting
for
us.

Lady Godiva, Countess of Mercia, is said to have ridden naked, covered only by her hair, through the
streets of Coventry as a wager with her oppressive husband. She asked the citizens of Coventry
to look away - they all did except Peeping Tom.