Poetry

flickr photo

By

Kassandra Tate

Applaud the Teenage Mother

Why do only women bear the shame?

Why aren’t men to blame?

They knew the consequences but they do it anyway.

They have this ego that everything goes their way.

They don’t take responsibility of caring for their offspring.

What does the church say?

The same thing!

Why are you blaming and shaming the woman,

When it was a man who got her pregnant, Churchman?

Why couldn’t you just turn to the man and say,

“You are just as guilty and have gone astray…

You, as well, had sex outside of marriage …

Pay for your sin of irresponsibility and push your child’s carriage…

Or just keep your pants on

And do something useful like mowing the neighbor’s lawn.”

These pregnant girls are not perfect.

They make mistakes like men do, correct?

Instead of shaming them, applaud them for being mothers,

Mothers who are more responsible than the fathers

Because all men have mothers too.

The Shape of Women

Hello, All of You, Women

  of the World. If a man

   Walks up, Runs up,

    Drives up,

  Does whatever up

  to you, and says, “Give me

  a Smile,” – give him the finger.

Don’t be afraid. Go ahead. Be vile.

No matter what they call you,

Tell you, say to you, you

owe them nothing –

“Go fuck off,

 will you.”

I am not your mama,

  I am not your bitch,

 I am not your babe,

I am not your girl,

I am not your toy,

I am a woman,

– not your woman.

Don’t take it,

any of their shit,

beatings, insults, abuse,

discriminations, discouragements,

politically, socially, culturally, any of it.

Stand up tall. You are a woman. Remember,

God made women because He made a mistake:

Men are nothing without us. They would be dead

without us. They would not exist if it wasn’t for us!

Kassandra Tate

Kassandra Tate has a busy schedule. As a Saint Mary’s undergraduate honors senior on academic scholarships and a Riverrun Magazine editor, she also works as a Student Involvement office assistant and a Student Caller. Her life goal is to pursue a masters and career in creative writing. She found inspiration for The Shape of Women and Applaud the Teenage Mother during her recent studies abroad in Ireland. Ms. Tate is a dedicated, enthusiastic, and passionate wordsmith and teller of tales.