James Moore Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

A Future Past

We’ve reached a turning point,
Possibly a point of no return
Where trust and accommodation 
Has reached a limit.

For the past 120 years, especially the last 60,
Men have been accommodating 
The cause of women’s equality.
But now it’s clear to all, women are not equal
On the basis of biology alone.

Men are wired for leadership
And women for nurturing.
So long ago women 
With their child rearing roles were protected.

To the point of infantilization sometimes,
And sometimes deservedly so
Which surely pissed off the majority
Who could clearly handle their own.

And so the past century has unfolded
With the rise of women to all levels of power.
And men have mostly just rolled over,
Because, you know, women certainly
Have something men want.

The Clancy mistrial and near acquittal
Has exposed the lie in all this,
And has set the cause of feminism back
At least a century, despite a perceived victory.

Men think and women feel
(The two making a superb compliment),
But the lack of reason in this case  
Is making men wonder if too much hasn’t been lost.

Maybe women shouldn’t be in positions
Of highest authority and power
Let alone left unsupervised with children…
Maybe there are limits to how far
The game of make believe equality can be played.

Like  an inversion of Franklin’s old adage,
Better to let ten criminals go free
Than convict one innocent man,
The ten sane and stable women will be punished
To let the weaker one go free.

In the name of protecting the one
They have pulled back all
To the position of once again 
Being treated as half children themselves.

If I was a woman I’d be furious.
And if I was a man
I’d say, fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.

(9/8/26)

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment