Living In A Man's World

A poem for Devon's Image Contest

Living In A Man’s World

Drawing from 

This robust cigarette

Bummed from a neighbor,

 

Searching for

Some sort of balance

For being a feminine woman

Active in the roughness

Of a man’s world,

 

Lately, as these tedious hours

Tick away

My jubiliant spirit has faded,

 

How I long to run wild and free

From the boundaries

Of this stale dwelling,

 

Shedding all of my uncertainties,

 Engaging wholeheartedly

In all of my life pursuits,

 

But this is a man’s world,

Filled with clouds of cigar smoke and

Outlandish bravado swaggers,

Outside of my unscathed petal rooms

Softness is rarely tolerated

 

Pink hues,

Flowers and sweet perfume

Have no place

Once I escape

These walls of lace

 

Being feminine is a felony

Out in this haggard world

Unless I’m flat on my back

And it’s bedtime

 

Working the same professions

And hours as a man,

Living practically

The same lifespan,

Yet his wages

By far outweigh my own

 

Why should I dress

Like a steely business man?

 

With all the

Rigid pen stripes,

               Baggy long pants,

                            Restricting power suits,

 

Hiding my soft round curves

And smooth silky skin

From the wandering hands and 

Eyes of this hungry world?

 

With my clever intellect

And my feminine intuition,

Perhaps I’ll stay secure

In here for awhile

And watch the scattered men

Scramble by.

Author's Note

When I saw this image, this is what I saw.

Reviews

[Helen Crutchett]

"Hiding my soft round curves
And smooth silky skin
From the wandering hands and
Eyes of this hungry world?"

Brilliant write! Loved your perception here.
"Perhaps I’ll stay secure
In here for awhile
And watch the scattered men
Scramble by."

Why not indeed, yes lets watch those 'scattered men scramble by."

You are a woman after my own heart. Good job!

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

Pure brillance, the imagery was so vivid!

[KAREN]

Great from start to finish1 Love the ending as well.

[?]

This is a wonderful piece and to women (for the most part) very true.
Well written poem, love the ending

[SpokenWord]

I do like the ending how you describe her clever intellect and feminine intuition for these are the last things that men see in a women if they see it at all. I like this little glimpse into the woman by the window smoking a borrowed smoke thinking about her role in a man's world. Interesting indeed.

[deeps]

This is quite wonderful, really enjoyed this write.

[Tina Kline]

This is a great write on the trails and difficulties of trying to fit into a world that sees you as weaker in so many ways.

[light and ashes]

Magnificent write. There is a vintage element in this poem and in this picture that I like.

[The Analog Kid]

You pose some interesting musings. Never apologize for being a woman. Nice.