Born into a world that is ruled by the few
An oligarchy disguised as a democracy
(We're accustomed to believing it is not so
Because we are cattle, and "the man"
Can slice our necks open at any time)
I'll never be a man, for it is God's will
I'll have the "wo-" stuck in front of it
Like an uninvited guest that refuses to leave
Even when the dessert dishes are put away
I'll forever be destined to be wo-man
A syntactical slip, that we are hu-man
When we were small we were equal
Until that day in the change room
In the sixth grade, when Sadie began
To make fun of you for having fat legs
Then, like a lollipop version of Eve,
We looked down at ourselves and realized
That we were wo-men and our bodies became
Something that needed to be kept secret
Chastity belts digging into our bellies
The sunburnt truckers with leering stares
The frightening reminders: never walk
Home alone at night and bring hair spray
Defending ourselves from the very world
Into which we were born, which we did
Not ask for, which we do not accept
Our minds are so thoroughly scrubbed
Like stained pots with rusted edges
We refuse to admit that we are exploited
Dancing in a smoky, blessed ignorance
This is the evolution of woman
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