Poetry for Women

The Thin Wedge

Life was mapped out for many women
From the day they where born.
Their future decades ago
Was marriage and children.
They didn’t have choice.
It was what they did .
Dependant on Men,
Unpaid servants, nursemaids and sexual slaves
Subservient to their will.
Often devoid of feelings or emotion.

Education: dominated by men.
Oxford and Cambridge said no to women.
The Medical Profession the Law and the Armed Services
Closed their doors to aspiring females.
Very few got through, it was a battle of persistence,
Dismissed as feather brained females
Amelia Pankhurst rallied the Suffragettes
Against the injustice of a society
That refused the vote
Restricted education, opportunity and choice
To every women in the land.
It was a thin wedge.

Then the Ist World War started
Women did men`s work.
In Factories and Foundries.
Making bullets and bombs.
Building and flying aircraft,
Driving buses, heavy lorries.
While men dug trenches and fought for freedom.
Today women have a degree of equality,
But still in the iron grip of male domination.
Still fighting their corner in many ways.

But I fear they may have gone too far
Lost something in the process.
Stripped away, courtesy and respect
That men had towards them in the past.
Have they just become one of the boys.
Is this what they fought for
Drinking smoking swearing fighting.

They now have different choices .
They must make sure they are the right ones.
Women`s unique ability to reproduce, nurture and guide
Their young, to achieve their potential in life.
Helping them develop good social conscience
Respect for others.
And by example showing them the way.
By creating a stable and happy home life.
Supporting and encouraging each other
To viewing marriage with dignity and strength of character.
Of sharing and caring through out life.

Looking at society today
I doubt that many will view this as their role.
It is a selfish society
Celebrity led with values that leave me cold.