Stop Your Grinnin and Let's Talk Wimmin

Since this happens to be the week on which Earth Day falls, and Earth has often been feminized as Mother, and my Mother also happens to be a woman and I know lots of awesome women (including my mother), I thought I would share a really profound piece of writing by a friend of mine.

Woman

They call her Woman
And it gives them satisfaction
To revere her
But only as an abstraction

Left feeling dumbstruck
No concordance between speech and conduct
Perpetual state of apprehension
Behind pretty words are
Derision and condescension

She did not ask to be placed on the pedestal
From which you say she fell
You venerate
Only to isolate

Unjust deprivation of dignity
As if she was meant to be
Defined only relationally
And not also born for autonomy

Her life
You do not contemplate
Her existence
You will not validate
Her perspective
You decline to incorporate
Her voice
You seek to relegate
Her intelligence
You deprecate
Her courage
You underestimate

But reality will dispute
The weakness that you impute
And you will find her resolute

Anticipate no mindlessness
And no resort to violence
Her power she will gather quietly
And confront you
With only silence

You will realize your mistake
And the justice that you failed to grant
She will take.