don't be looking at my daughter's ass
that makes wanna kick YOUR ass.

and don't be ogling her boobs so much
wantin' to bare them for your touch.

leave your Chauvinism to other men
and at her door, ask to come in.

and meet her in her world, her milleau
seeing some things, the first time--new.

awarenesses from childhood broken
wrongs taught by older kids' holding
our misperceptions, our mishearings
because all the time we are fearing
what, in the future will be left of me
if i don't matter on the social tree?
and left alone, wallflowered, abhored
not being Miss Everything, you're ignored.

going with it too, the hope you embrace;
fresh air, open door a chance to chase
that idea that's knocking at your brow
to the world be a woman, a lady somehow,
knowing that minds are ever-changing,
in a generation or two, some rearranging
but wanting it now: instead, negation:
the zeitgeist is still our subjugation.

05/12/2005