IWD

a day for women

just the one

wouldn’t want to give them

big ideas

make believe

the job is done

it’s not

it’s barely begun

bra-burners

and it will never end

until setting suns

reverse

not better it is worse

in most of first

and second worlds

covered up

silenced

abuse hurled

knives brandished

exploited

demoted

burned

trafficked

eliminated

sometimes at birth

sometimes giving birth

it’s all Eve’s fault

and stupid Pandora

the human condition

the state of the nation

fuck emancipation

fuck education

how’s that gonna get

the dishes done

the floors swept

and the buns in ovens

the world would be

calmer

fraternally peaceful

without the very sound

of their voice

in the park

the cafe

the office

the club

where the men

stroll and meet

to discuss

old books

and try not to look

at anyone

not sporting a tie

or a beard

o, women

dear women

it is just

as we feared.

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