Modern Woman – May 2020

Catherine Heath

May 2020

Men are born into grace,

While women must struggle for salvation,

And discover

The wonder and beauty

Of the world.


We find salvation

In each other––

Two worlds

That may never meet,

For we refuse to see.


Why do we need feminism,

When so many men

Are suffering;

Drowning in their own pain?

I hate these games

Of egotism

Disguised as morality––

It disgusts me,

Completely.


Women are called to evolve,

And they won’t listen––

Instead, they complain about lipstick,

And a tentative touch

Not well received.

Will we ever bridge the gap?

Or would we rather complain,

About you and me?

About this and that––

Wasting seconds, minutes, hours

Of precious life,

When we could be dancing,

Laughing,

Kissing––

Revelling in our own freedom,

And driving ourselves mad

With passion.


If you don’t know how to reach out,

Approach!

Be vulnerable,

Be foolish,

Be wrong. 


If you hate men,

Then think about God,

Think about suffering,

Other humans writhing

Silently in pain.

Think of all the men

Who raised us from the dust,

Protected women,

And sacrificed themselves––

Not for gain––

But to save us all.


Ignore the few bad people

(We’re all bad people,

Sometimes),

And think of the glowing amber eyes

Of your lover,

Your first kiss

From that awkward boy

Across the road,

And try not to cry

From the sweetness of it.


Then try, and try,

And try,

Again,

There are no points for trying––

But you will live,

And you will be free;

Free like me,

And him.


Passion reawakened

Is beautiful––

Think about art;

Consider the possibility

That you have an eternal soul,

Then run,

Dance,

Laugh.

Go home 

And write a mad poem about it––

Then do it all again

(Don’t mind what anyone says).


Men must learn to feel,

And not die from the pain of it,

While women

Must read books

About more than romance

(Though those are good too).

What would it take

To win prince charming,

And become a couple

Who would devastate the world?


Let passion be your guide;

Follow it to the ends of the earth,

Until you find yourself

Right back home again.


There’s more to life

Than handbags,

And lipstick––

Or angry rhetoric.

Do just as they said: 

Find a nice boy 

To be your guide,

Then go out

And explore the world.


(You know you’re getting close

When you are truly

Afraid.)


Enlightenment is terrifying.

(Forget about personality disorders)––

Get a personality,

Then smash it,

And find another one,

Then share it 

With someone you'll one day love.


Find a woman

Who you think is a goddess,

And follow her

Right down to hell.


Talk to gloriously intelligent men,

And kiss the hot ones

(But don’t tell anyone),

And sail off

Into the setting sun. 


I am violently female.

Light the fire in him,

And stoke the fire in you.


I'm not looking for the perfect man 

(I rather enjoy imperfect men)–– 

But when I find the right one,

I hold on,

And never let him go. 


Credit: Photo by Yaoqi LAI on Unsplash