Serious Women

For serious women everywhere, for Philippa and, today, for Rosie Serious Women Some of us have faces That are less inclined to mirth Mapped upon them traces Of the journey from our birth Inscrutable, mysterious The face our mother gave Inherently quite serious Disconcerting, grave See us in the street and we are Focussed and unblinking Eyes fixed on horizon far Minding our own thinking We’re not sad, or mad or bad It’s just the face we’ve grown You don’t know the life we’ve had So frankly, mind your own Control your neediness and fear Your urge to poke and pry We save for folk who hold us dear The twinkle in our eye “Give us a smile, darling” “It hasn’t happened yet” Trite words to get us snarling “Excuse me? Wanna bet?” To the endless trivial Comments offered everyday We respond with the convivial “It’s just arranged that way!” If you don’t understand my face How dare you stoop to diss it My **** is well imbued with grace So kiss it by Gail