Keep your balance and your wits
grasped tight.
Knot them between your fingers
like purse straps
when the street empties to darkness
and even the lamplight
does little to chase away shadows.
There’s no rescuing dignity
if you spill,
heels caught in the rickets
of this ladder we’ve built
from the bones of those who wept
behind closed doors.
Emotion would prove them woman
and that was weakness,
still is
in the eyes of some.
So the weak gift their spines and prayers,
hollow themselves into armour
for the next generation,
and the one after that,
in a desperation that they will be the drop
that tips the scales to even.
Carol J Forrester 
A very telling write, Carol… There’s real depth here and I shall be back for more…
Thank you. I’m glad to hear I could capture your attention.
Your closing line is killer; time indeed to bring the scales to even. There have been more Feminist poems out here on the trail and less odes to Spring. I can dig it.
Thank you Glenn. A poem could be both though. An ode to feminist spring perhaps?
Those who wept behind closed doors are given opportunity to speak, and at last come to know the shame is not theirs.
Yes 👏 Yes 👏 Yes 👏
LOVED IT! This is so powerful
“Emotion would prove them woman
and that was weakness,
still is
in the eyes of some.”
Thank you 😊.
🤗
Very compelling. Well done.
Thank you.
I hope some day the scale will tip to even. May it be so!
Indeed. Thank you for reading.
I like the idea of tipping scales to even.
It’s all about equality.
A perfect poem for International Women’s Day, Carol. I love the purse strap simile and the lines:
‘if you spill,
heels caught in the rickets
of this ladder we’ve built
from the bones of those who wept
behind closed doors’.
We live in hope that daughters and granddaughters tip the scales soon.
So great! Really well done!!
Thank you very much.
This is absolutely exquisitely drawn and perfect for International Women’s Day! ❤️
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. The theme for this year was the perfect inspiration.
It seems like the scales are tipping slowly… and there are those time when time runs in reverse… hope for balance to come.