There’s More to Being A Woman

They say she’s hard headed
With skin as thick as the bark
Of the Mugumo tree

They say the daughter of Mitano
With her strong gait
Dark eyes flashing with hate
Is a renegade
Fighting the fights of men
Not satisfied with looking after the children

They ask why
She speaks about less work and more pay
She should be satisfied
After all, what is a woman created for
If not to work from dusk to dawn
Milking the cows
Tilling the land
Feeding the children
Cooking
Washing
Cleaning
And still smiling at the day’s end

They say she should
Sit with the children while she eats
A meal of fish heads
Cow hoofs and
Chicken heads
Women’s food, they say
Taboo dictates that she will die
If she the cook,
Eats the meatier parts
(if the only knew)
Shhhh… they say
Don’t raise your voice in protest

When he beats her
She should be silent
Take it with grace
An example for the children
Cry softly, they say
Your pained loud cry
Calls attention to us
Daughter of Mitano

But the hard headed
Strong gaited
Thick skinned
Daughter of Mitano
Continues to fight
She continues
Against all odds
To organize
She talks to any listening man
Woman and child
For she knows there’s more
To being a woman that the meets the eye

PoP © 3rd May 07