The Evolution of Woman

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