Saturday, October 10, 2009

I Thought I Would Attempt Some Poetry

I have been visiting Sarah L's blog. I like it.

Sarah has been writing poetry in a nice, direct style. She says so much in just a few words. It's very touching and meaningful.

I have things to say, too. Only I'm not so good at poetry as Sarah. But Sarah's poetry inspired me to try my hand today, and I wrote two poems, trying to mimic Sarah's style. I hope it isn't bad, mimicking like that, but I needed a starting point. I'm not putting them on my normal blog because I want to keep keep that for discussion about woman-to-woman characters. This blog will be poems reflecting my thoughts. These are from my past. I saw the one and lived the other.

Who Can Be Afraid

And he was a little boy, and he was insecure
He wet his bed and he wet his pants, because that’s what insecure little boys do
He was punished
He did not understand what he had done wrong
Then he realized
He was afraid
Being afraid is bad
But how does one not be afraid
He had to wear diapers, in front of the family
Punishment should be humiliating
But more importantly, babies can be afraid
When his little boy shorts were wet he had to wear his sister’s panties
Punishment should be humiliating
But more importantly, girls can be afraid
When his sister wet her pants she didn’t have to wear a diaper
She was almost his age
When his sister’s panties were wet she didn’t have to wear his shorts
She was almost his age
Babies can be afraid
Girls can be afraid
Little boys cannot be afraid
But if little boys wear little girl clothes, they can be afraid
Just don’t get caught

What She's Supposed to Do

And she was a big girl, strong, and pretty, and a girl
And she liked being taken care of, and she liked being independent
She thought she was smart and she thought she understood
But she was a girl, you know
Her daddy took her fishing, her and her brother
What fun to be in a boat
What fun to ride the water
But when can we go back
Don’t be a pest, don’t bother Daddy
We’re here to fish
So be quiet
When can we go to shore
She didn’t understand why they couldn’t go to shore
She didn’t understand why she couldn’t ask to go to shore
But she was a girl, you know
To sit in wet pants is no fun at all
To be caught in wet pants is humiliating
At least it was okay
That’s what she was supposed to do
She was a girl, you know

4 comments:

Ealdwine said...

These are deeply touching poems. I feel for that little boy and that little girl.

I've always hated the way that our birth gender dictates how we are treated regardless of who we really are.

Wings in the Night said...

Thank you, Ealdwine. We grow up knowing we are being treated differently, but since our parents are doing it we assume it's the way it's supposed to be.

Sarah Laurenson said...

These are very touching. Thank you for writing them and for sharing them. I feel the pain, the shame, the confusion. Great job.

Wings in the Night said...

Thanks, Sarah. But you know you are the one who inspired me to find the courage to write them. Whatever else your poetry had done, it has sone this. I thank you. Courage is so much better than fear. But I'm still not as brave as you.