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By Any Other Name

by Charles M Harrison

Under the feet of man
crushed into the dust and mud.
Fragrant rose petals lay,
by whose hands thrown down?

The fairer of our sexes
partners, of mans flesh and bone.
Misused, abused, degraded,
by force, chance or choice?

Believing not in the self
or the equality of the mind.
Lack of morality, modern society,
free will, mans nature, what cause?

The secret of the roses petals
laid open for all eyes to see.
The hidden treasures within
that lead to the doorway of life.

False power of exposed flesh
grant fleeting illusions of self.
Become objects of carnal desire,
illicit caresses demeaning purity.

Outer beauty claims no power
when only shaft and thorns remain.
Each precious petal stripped, abused,
raped, shamed, for what good cause?

Men stand above the fallen beauties
immune to the pain that endures.
With black roses as their guard
to praise and justify what they do.

A double standard world view,
leaves a second class mentality.
What some call strength of destiny.
power claimed, by chance of birth.

Still the petals fall as rain,
their fragility labeled, the shame.
Worthless slut, whore, bitch, tramp,
still a rose by any other name?

11/23/2007

Posted on 11/24/2007
Copyright © 2024 Charles M Harrison

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Glenn Currier on 11/25/07 at 04:39 AM

There is a violence expressed here by one who recognizes it and the tragedy therein. Your poem is forceful and impacts the psyche, jolting me from my complacense.

Posted by Alisa Js on 11/26/07 at 02:20 AM

I think it's a true travesty when men don't give the true respect and honor to their women...and fail to love them the way God truly loves us. Completely. I Corinthians 13 says it best. Aloha to you and yours from out here under the swaying palms... alisa ;-)

Posted by J. P. Davies on 11/26/07 at 11:30 AM

You have found beauty here under the harsh subject matter.

Posted by Sigurdur Haraldsson on 12/30/07 at 10:50 AM

I read this over and over again and each time it gets better. You manage to touch on the cold harsh reality and break through the glass-layered shield we all put between reality and ourselves. This is true poetry, lovely to read and underlying meaning to expose one's attitude and feelings to the reality of life. I really liked the lines: Outer beauty claims no power/when only shaft and thorns remain. Splendid work, my friend.

Posted by Philip F De Pinto on 01/05/14 at 02:09 PM

I love this oyster and the scintillating metaphor housed therein. However, I think this poem is a fuse inviting ignition and sparking the light sufficient to examine the potential that abuse and degradation can be heaped upon the petals which men are as equally and as brutally, by what is perceived, the fairer sex. In my estimation, it is not a specific gender which coins a phrase or corners the market on abuse, but abuse is gender exclusive, and relies rather on content and character than sex. And given opportunities, women can heap such as well as men. And what is an ode, but it is an oyster, inviting one to shuck and examine the pearly illumination within and without oneself as this one has done for me. And congratulations on POTD.

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