I wouldn’t dare say that to your face
but I am talking to you:
all the women I’ve objectified,
all the women I’ve ignored,
all the women I’ve interrupted,
all the women I’ve discounted,
all the women I’ve paid less
yet expected more.
A woman’s place is in the kitchen
so you know how to turn up the heat.
Remember, you’re the majority.
So get out there in the streets!
Don’t let my fellow men win.
About Bartholomew Barker
Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry lovers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit.
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
Loved your deft detour. Nice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! While I try to be direct and brief, it sometimes pays to take a little detour.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would just have to say, so it’s us again who have to get out on the street? It’s not only men who wanted this repealed, it’s the Christian right, and all of those men have wives and daughters who back this all the way. Amy Cooney Barrett had something to do with this as well. And Ruth Bader Ginsberg in my opinion by not getting off the bench when she should have. And then there’s the fact that Roe was never put into law. Rape and Incest laws are in place but these crimes also don’t get prosecuted. It’s an utter failure to protect women all the way around. And we’re supposed to be the ones to fight now? The ones to be out there on the front line, unprotected? I’ve been fighting all my life. And I’m sorry but admitting how irresolute you are only angers me all the more.
This one is personal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hear you and agree with your points. I, and a lot of my fellow men, have your back. This was my attempt to encourage all American women to be ungovernable.
LikeLike
“I hear you. I agree.” Is the same as “Sending thoughts and prayers” . Are you prepared to fight on the front lines?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Absolutely! And my apologies to you and Mary on appearing to send thoughts and prayers. That wasn’t my intent. Guess I needed to workshop this poem and my comment replies.
LikeLike
Iām going to write this ā and it probably wonāt be popular. Some people, women and men ā like to be in the kitchen. Like to be domestic. It suits them. One of my sisters spent her life being a wife and mother because she chose to ā she liked that life. Funnily enough, when her children had grown and flown, she got a job cooking on a building site for the workers. She liked to feed and look after people.
One of my nieces has done the same, lived her life as a wife and mother, and reared her children well.
I sing with Aretha and Annie āSisters are doing it for themselvesāā¦. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drGx7JkFSp4 but ā we all have choices ā male and female, andā¦wellā¦demanding that we must all āmake our markā annoys me ā it simply doesnāt suit some folk. Equally, my oldest friend (and I mean old in age – of my generation) is a house-husband – while his wife works he minds the children and the house ā because that suits both of them.
So, Iām writing this for my sister, my niece, and my old (male) friend who made their choices. Thoā it has to be said – the choices were there to be made. Years ago, another friend was vehemently against men ā really angry – damning all men under one way of seeing. My argument was that there are good men – when women had no power, it was good men in power who brought in the laws which made the changes. She was bitter, from experience. Couldnāt blame her in a way, but ā she was a thinking, intelligent person, who should have been able to look beyond the personal.
Iām wittering on. Iāll stop. Just want to say ā words come easy. Lives are lived as they are lived.
LikeLiked by 2 people
As long as you don’t advocate for laws that would require women to be domestic slaves to their fathers/husbands, we’re fine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“As long as you donāt advocate for laws that would require women to be domestic slaves to their fathers/husbands, weāre fine.”
Blimey Bartholomew – you write some wondrous stuff – and you write some ????? I think the clue was in my saying that I sing with Annie & Aretha.
Those kind of laws went west quite some time ago. Itās more to do with ingrained attitudes than laws.
I remind myself that you donāt know me ā and I donāt know you.
āNuff said.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s hard to change both laws and attitudes and usually we make progress. We just have to fight harder when we’re going backwards, like now.
LikeLike
“We just have to fight harder when weāre going backwards, like now.”
Yes, thatās it ā weāre actually in agreement.
Thoā – I believe reasoned argument to be a good thing.
Iām going to throw something else into the arena. There are plenty of men who are āslavesā to their wives or mothers. Have you read āUnder Milk Woodā by Dylan Thomas? The dictatorship of Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard. It not as clear-cut as men being the villains and women being the victims.
Sound laws are needed in any society, but itās down to the individual to try to make daily life work, and to treat people right.
And it’s worth looking at why someone feels the need to dominate someone else. Often they were dominated themselves. Breaking the pattern is whatās needed ā individually and in society.
Weāre a complex species and how we behave makes no sense at all in many ways.
Some musings on how we behave, and how good laws can guide thatā¦.
Namaste
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed, we are a complex species. That’s why I’d prefer to have fewer laws governing consensual interpersonal behaviours but plenty of laws against coercive interpersonal behaviours. There are folks who are willing “slaves” in BDSM relationships but there are also folks who are unwilling slaves and only the latter need the protection of law.
LikeLike
In complete agreement – I don’t see what it’s got to do with anyone what people do with themselves, their lives, or their ‘bits’, as long as all involved are happy with what’s happening.
On a slightly different angle re. male/female interaction…….
And what century is this set in?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Alas, this is the 21st century, but everyone hasn’t caught up yet.
LikeLike
Loved how you put this:) Clever and Right On!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks! I hope it makes some small difference around here.
LikeLike
Me too…Inshallah š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you from all of us! š
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, thank you. I need forgiveness more than gratitude.
LikeLike
Oh.
Well, THAT you can’t have (I’m a woman, remember, haha!!) š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! That’s fair.
LikeLike
š
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such an empathetic poem! Freedom-loving women do not want to lose their hard-won rights.
Your support is valued! <3 Have a great week, Bartholomew!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, Cheryl. Keep Fighting!
LikeLiked by 1 person