Medusa, marble sculpture
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1630
Women are prerogative, authority come due
Not harried harpy, battle-ax, the ogress or the shrew
Born with instincts sharp as nails, savvy are her gifts
Keeper of the earth she is, by weight she daily lifts
Pushed to the front, like trophy, then shut down like unwired switch
She’s put upon a pedestal yet cat-called “ugly bitch”
Required to work day and night, but do not pay her fairly?
Still gives her all without a qualm, quite honestly and squarely
She rises to the challenge and will come through to the end
Yet even showered with success, she must back down to men?
The time is now, it’s always been, to not take lying down
The efforts that long fastened her with chains to slanted ground
The patriarchy gasps last breath, and plans to go down fighting
So unaware of powder keg their folly is igniting
Consider this fair warning that the battle lines are struck
And women have long history of never giving up
Token gestures are banal, and will always be
Women do not need one day, we claim eternity!
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