You put a boot on my neck to show me you were stronger than me,
More powerful than me.
What were you afraid I would say?
If my mere words–
Quietly spoken or
Even yelled,
Would spell doom and ruin for you.
Who is actually the stronger one?
Who should be afraid?
If only my sisters could recognize the power we have given away.
The freedoms we relinquished.
If only we had refused to bare our necks and be silenced.
If only we had seen the power in ourselves instead,
Of believing the brutes.
For those brutes were afraid of our silver tongues.
They saw the power we could wield;
How we weave entire worlds with our words.
So fearful that they knew we’d never be theirs unless we were quiet and afraid
Complacent, easy.
Yet they could not match us in words, so
They turned to swords.
Threats of violence spoken and unspoken
Demeaning and cruel until
We saw ourselves as powerless
non-human, not worthy.
Our seeds of power lie dormant in all of us.
What will it take for you to grow yours?
Will you help your daughter grow hers?
The Affliction of Being Female 