Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Just Another Day? A Commentary















women's day:  a notion (?)



and so we talk of women 
one day of the year, celebrate,
and glorify in posters and 
rhetoric of dignity,  as we 
do with ethnicities, or cultures, or 
disenfranchised others; 

and so we 'elevate'  for brief 
days, achievements, or power,
or historicities, or any realm of 
loftiness to portray and portend 
a stature of importance; 

and then it's past.   and religions,
governments, social hierarchies, 
and ingrained cultural mores
resume the journey of status quo; 

and in our PC world, we allow 
that - talking points as veiled 
courage withheld,  the fear of 
offending the true motivating 
force for stasis. 


Written for Poets United prompt. 
© 2013 R. Burnett Baker 





10 comments:

  1. Well done Rick - your poem is shaking the status quo.

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  2. You speak directly to the reality of our world today, and share your feelings clearly, concisely. I cannot help but think, however, that every light shined, if for only a day, dissipates a bit of the darkness. I'm counting on a changing world! So glad you joined the Verse First postings.

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  3. Wowzers! So well written and on target. I, too, hope for more light, but have to agree the status quo needs a lot more improvement.

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  4. Rick,

    You have captured the struggle for many grouping seeking to be heard for longer than just one particular day. I feel it might take quite a while, to change the mindsets of some age-old institutions, who continue with an arrogant attitude.
    A great piece!!!

    Eileen

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  5. Yes. One day seems almost derogatory. Maybe it should be "year of the woman". :)

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  6. One day is not enough. Sometimes those that work the hardest are those easily forgotten.

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  7. I smile because you sort of sound like my dad when we asked him why he does not give mom a mother's day card and he smiles at her lovingly and tells her she is special every day and he did treat her that way, every day! While he admitted that it's easy to forget to speak it he said this one day celebration thing is only special and meaningful if it is expressed in the other 364 days. I really appreciate your thoughts!

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  8. ...hard hitting & on-point Rick... and applies not only on this particular event but for others as well... too much commercialization weakens the essence of it... great one...smiles...

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  9. Yup, Rick, you have made a good point. I cannot disagree. We give lip service for a month and then so often return to our old ways.

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  10. Well we certainly have a lot of work to do. But I feel like I hit the cosmic lottery being born as a women into this society. I've never really felt discriminated against, and I feel that there are infinite possibilities available. Though I know that is not every woman's experience.

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