As some of you may know, as well as holding creative writing workshops I also tutor creative writing for the local council. Tutoring adults can be rewarding (discovering wonderful writers), chaotic (my lesson plans are rarely followed – someone will inevitably take things off at a tangent) hilarious (the undiscovered comedian/ the completely unaware comedian) and thought-provoking (especially with memoir writing and poetry) I’ve kept promising to share some of their work. Here is a thoughtful piece of free verse poetry, written by Trish Power
In the beginning:
Woman
Is an
Afterthought;
An off-cut
Of rib.
1917
Woman
Has no
Vote.
A chattel
Trapped in
Relentless
Domesticity.
1957
Woman,
Given by
Her father,
Pledges to
Obey
At the altar.
1967
Woman
Drinks from the
Poisoned chalice
Of permissiveness.
Prude or slapper
To
Jack the lad.
2017
Woman
Cracks
Glass ceilings
Occasionally.
Tables turning,
Upended.
Man
Vulnerable
Now.
As a Woman
I cheer
The Rightings
Of abusive
Wrongs.
The safety net
Growing
Underneath.
But as a Woman,
Anxious
At the
Blurring between
Friendship and
Lust.
A Woman
Welcoming
Kindness
In touches,
Supportive hugs,
Compassion
In a hand on
Shoulder.
A Woman
Who doesn’t
Bridle at
‘My lovely’ or
‘Pet’,
I want to be
Safe,
Not detached.
Feel friendship
Without fear.
Keep predators
At bay.
Keep companionship
Alive.
If Woman is
Enigma
So are
Her problems.
© Trish Power 2017