Get Your Premium Membership

Harridan's

"Qui*, whose harridan are you now?" this withered crone you see all bone was once a bloom your sweet coquette yet, years have not been kind to we. Each maid becomes a mother "Qui, whose harridan are you now?" Men bleed us dry as beaten wheat upon a dusty floor we lie. Those maids who lived to birth and nurse now possess but hairy lipped sighs. "Qui, whose harridan are you now? and where is he who loved that youth?" They have no horrid name for he, our aged counterparts of limp form though stud has come and gone, we ask. "Qui, whose harridan are you now?" * Qui means WHO in french * harridan origin 1690–1700; perhaps alteration of French haridelle thin, worn-out horse, large, gaunt woman (compared with the initial element of haras stud farm, though derivation is unclear) ** 89 years later Madam Guillotine's reigned perhaps woman don't like being called names?

Copyright © | Year Posted 2012




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 5/30/2012 11:07:00 PM
Isn't it a shame he changed that contest?? I too did something different from heroines. Just coming back here and admiring this one.
Login to Reply
Date: 5/26/2012 1:09:00 AM
LOVE this, Debs. Way to do the word harridan.
Login to Reply
Date: 5/24/2012 10:27:00 AM
awesome ,
Login to Reply
Date: 5/24/2012 9:44:00 AM
Beautiful quatern, and a great use of the repeated line. I do believe that as an interrogative pronoun, qui would be more accurate that que, as you are referring to the harridan's maker, owner? Que would be correct if you mean what circumstance.
Login to Reply
Date: 5/24/2012 8:52:00 AM
They call those men...dead beats...they call them....whore mongers ! Need I go on ! And if you be the "harridan" dear poet, you must have just cause ! I always did dream of being that night in shinning armor, 'till the rust set in as the gray, while my words through my rusty mask still made her blush...yet who am I, to challenge the young "studs" ! Great write Debbie ! Have a fantastic week....much love, james
Login to Reply
Grisetti Avatar
Joann Grisetti
Date: 5/24/2012 9:46:00 AM
James, what is the male equivalent for nag, shrew, hag, etc. Why do we have so many words for old women and not old men? Do women outlive men? Or do men think of themselves as forever young?
Date: 5/24/2012 8:21:00 AM
well done.....I believe most of us have periods of this malais? jimbo
Login to Reply
Date: 5/24/2012 8:08:00 AM
If I used the french wrong some one let me know! [maybe it should be Qui?]
Login to Reply

Book: Reflection on the Important Things