Discriminate

 

I could hit home runs, throw hard and fast

and longed to wear the uniform of Little league,

but when I asked, they said, "No."

I had good grades in school

and longed to be on Safety Patrol,

but when I asked, they said, "No."

I longed to make things out of wood

and needed tools,

but when I asked, they said, No."

I loved hiking and climbing mountainsides

and needed boots,

but when I asked, they said, "No".

Each and every time they said, "No",

they crushed the capable, yearning spirit within me,

as they said, "You can't because you're a girl"!

 

Reviews

[Recklesseyes]

I like this. It's sweet and simple and to the point, and conveys very nice imagery. Only one suggestion though....I would change the line - Later, I will immerse my nose in their clean scent. You've given us two distinct aromas in the first line so the reader is already smelling them....grass and fresh clothes. So maybe get rid of "later" and "will." Also, I didn't like curtains in the second line...why not say sheets or ghosts or something more interesting. Great job overall though. I really like this. Thanks for sharing.

[Chris]

Places throughout the world still say "no". But more and more say yes now. Changing mindsets and social structures take time and personal effort...

[Coyote Poetry]

Old world was hard in some places. My father allowed his daughters to play sports and so on. Today world is better. Got young women tossing softballs at 90 mile a hour. Women with a 120 a mile serve. I taught my daughters. You can do anything. Your poem was truth once and I hope we have surpassed the old ways. Thank you dear Poet for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[Einstein Noodle]

its a voice that was insidiously whispered ... from another time .. there is such a contrast between now and then that your poem accentuates ... tho many may think that times have not changed enough ... i think .. the indomitable spirit can never be quashed .. your voice heralds these triumphs:
"Mo'ne Davis isn't your average Little League player, and she certainly isn't your standard teenager. She just so happens to be an astounding pitcher who dominates the competition and could help redefine how women are viewed in the sport of baseball."
on Lorreta Lynch:
"Lynch, 55, is a Harvard Law School graduate and popular prosecutor who is currently serving her second stint as the U.S. attorney for eastern New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island."
i dont think "they" crushed your spirit ... no no no ! it simply can not be done ;)
E.

[Barbara Walker]

Yes it has changed, but not enough!lol I do see that there are many girls on safety patrol, but it is still the experience of many women to be hassled at a job that was all male oriented ain the past and not much at all has been done for equal work-equal pay. I sometimes wonder what I could have accomplished and become, had my natural leanings toward certain activities been encouraged and further developed. There is a wistfulness here even after all these years.

[Einstein Noodle]

i hear you ... i read a poem here on WC a week or so ago .. i think the title is "What If" ... we all have them .. not to diminish the fight for equality ;) ...

[Angi]

Oh Barbara! I know this feeling so well! I try to say yes a whole lot more than I say no to my kids. I loved this piece, because it made me feel something. That is a good poem to me. Angi~

[Craig2591]

Very sad. I can see that you poured your heart into this poem. My daughter works as a Restoration Specialist for the county park system. She uses chainsaws, chippers and drives a dump truck. She uses a flamethrower to do prescribed burns. She's so thrilled and I'm proud of her!

[Dr. Wood ?]

It would be much easier nowadays...I remember 2 lads I was at school with who were pilloried by other boys because they chose to take cookery classes..One of them became a chef

[Gray Witch]

Don't know why people still insist on this type of steriotyping ... Research has shown that if you bring up and boy and girl twins with same rules they still become a boy and a girl..... with specific likes and talents which can be considered male or female traits .... Nature should be the determining factor and nurture should be non-sexist...IMHO

Great piece - I love reading first posted works...

[Pink Poison]

This hits home for me. I was the first girl to join a boys little league baseball team in the state. There was a huge outcry from parents that a GIRL should be allowed to join a little league baseball team, but there was no rule, then, that prohibited it. People were unbelievably cruel to me, from the coaches, to the boys on the team, to the parents of the kids. I still can't believe that grown ups would be so cruel to a 5th grade girl, who happened to be good at baseball. They changed the rules the next year and made a girl's softball team. To this day, I dislike the Boy Scouts of America because they discriminate against girls. Why not just be the Scouts of America? Great poem, it really brought back memories. Discrimination sucks!

[Monners]

I just wrote a paper recently about gender equality and how I felt that everyone should be equal in all regards of the law, for instance, no matter what gender someone happens to be. The only difference in employment issues is because of pregnancy. But beside that, I feel anyone should be able to do whatever they want, and no one should deny them that. I like that you point out the eagerness to do something and society thinking its not okay. As time changes, hopefully we as a society can overcome this and move on to realize that the only difference between a woman and a man is their reproductive organs.

[thecoolone52]

hahahah i loved this poem......... its true you should be in the kitchen making me a grilled cheese...... and after you should be doing the dishes as well........... hahaha im just playing...... you know some girls can actually use tools and be more atheltic then guys......... i know you already know that.... but i know farm girls who can lift and work alot harder then i could on my best day....... anyway its a poem so i cant give you any gramar help...... its a orginal topic with worthy frustration and a great voice attached to it......... very nice job here