Archive for October 2012

My Fair Ladies? No Room For Their Own (Securing the Chaste in Prose/poetry)

October 4, 2012

My Fair Ladies?  (No Room For Their Own)

My female ancestors from the far North were lucky, I realize of late.

Living in a raw climate, they could tolerate the extra layer of chastity belt.

Sure, it clanked when they walked, but the red hot poker up the janzi and similar genital reconfigurations were saved for royalty and,
occasionally, the psychically inclined.

All I want is a room somewhere–

While my particular ancestors were none of these, but commoner sorts.

Far awaiiy
from the–
 
Born into an age and place that needed women able to walk (even if clanking)–

cold night air–

a barren landscape where the few females were valuable, if chattel,

with one enormous chairrrrrr—

whereas in the more populated world of today, it seems that women are sometimes

Ow–

expendable chattel. 

And, what with scrap metal so precious and thorns and threads and knives and other young girls so cheap,

no one even bothers with–

loverly–

clanking.  Cutting straight to the–

loverly–

chas(t)e.

While in my so-lucky case,  I can worry about

a room somewhere–

So way beyond unfair,

heart hurts.

*******************************

I’m sorry to those who follow this blog that I am still thinking a lot about the oppression of women – a very big and grim subject.

The above is a draft poem for dVerse Poets Pub Meeting the Bar challenge hosted by Anna Montgomery which is a challenge to mix up poetry and prose.  In this case, my poetry owes a debt to Alan Jay Lerner, the lyricist of “My Fair Lady.”  

This Is Not Really About Pleasure (FGM)

October 3, 2012

This Is Not Really About Pleasure (FGM)

Cuttings’ stitched wounds
don’t leave much room
for babies, pee, their own
seepage, periods–
though, yes, penises
apparently–
Cuts made by other women, cut
scarred
women.
140 million.

*************************************

I am still in the throes of  “Half the Sky” a documentary about the oppression of women made by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDonn.  One focus – female genital mutilation (FGM) – the cutting and sewing up of the vaginas of very young girls. Many think the practice, also called female circumcision, only (ONLY!) cuts away the clitoris of girls so that they will not be tempted by sexual pleasure, but in many cultures, the cuts are far more expansive with horrible consequences for women’s health, particularly their reproductive health, for their lifetimes.  The World Health Organization estimates that there are currently living 140 million women who have suffered some form of this cutting.  

Some talk of respect for the traditions of different cultures; I can’t think of that applying here. 

I am linking this to With Real Toads, a prompt by the wonderful Mama Zen to write something about conflict in less than 30 words.  (In my case – not including title!) 

 

In “Honor” of “Half The Sky”

October 2, 2012

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Honor killing

The knife slides in
with force.
She is thinner than he’s remembered,
collarbone sharp
as hook he thrashes
against.
Mind snags heart, but
cannot aim for breast;
only knife can look
past nipple.
Smaller than
he’s remembered,
with too-soft skin that folds within
whites of eyes big as
blade.
He tries to think
of flame, the veiled
body of smoke, the dried
bone of ash, but blood–
fountains,
in honor of
the righteous
fountains.
Why has she made him
righteous
do this
with force.

***********************************

I’ve revised and rewritten this older poem (from my book, Going on Somewhere) after seeing the first half of the wonderful documentary by Nicholas Kristoff (of The New York Times) HALF THE SKY – about the opppression of women around the globe.   (The name comes from the idea that women hold up half the sky.)  The second half of the film will be on PBS tonight.  It is inspiring/heart-breaking.  My poem happens to deal with honor killings, but there is plenty of other violence and oppression of women going on among communities of many different cultural and religious backgrounds – unprosecuted  rape, sex trafficking, neglect.   Awful stuff; important to know–and do something– about; helping/educating women a key to helping the planet on almost every level.

I am posting this for dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night, hosted by the marvelous Hedgewitch, a/k/a Joy Ann Jones.

Monday Immoveable (With Elephant)

October 1, 2012

Agh.  Ugh.  (Yawn).

Monday.