I don't like your -ism.
I don't like your exclusivity
I don't like how
The very nature of you, dear dear word,
Polarizes us
Women
The innate nature of you
Tells us
That it is only women
Who are part of this
Inequality
Well. The dance, my dear word,
Is not strictly feminine
The fight Is not
Ours alone.
The inequality is felt
By both "sides" (if there are sides)
of the
masculine AND feminine
You, my sweet, powerful, enchantress-of-word, who gave our mothers
motive and voice,
Have moved us into our present.
Thank you.
For all we know
You helped give gentle rise to
LGBQT people
Who wished to move into the light
You taught us,
both men and women
That it's ok
To cry.
But now, we are in the present
That you birthed
And we need new words
To hold us ALL now
For we are not so much
Ruled by our sex
As we are
By our spirits
And our spirits are housed
In these bodies
And these bodies now
Identify with pink as man
Or trucks as woman
And, so, dear sweet, tired word, stay your values but rest your bones.
Teach us now
The power of the words
"GENDER EQUALITY"
And we will make you proud.