I saw your wife tonight. No Athena. No Medea. No Adelita nor Malintzin. From what I could observe She is a women risen from a rib Like any other-- Two eyes, two breasts, one uterus. She did not arrive Wearing raiments of gold On a barge from the Nubian Nile. No Botticelli pearl was she Riding the crest of a wave On a pretty half shell. She did not trophy Serpents in each upraised fist Mighty as a priestess. She neither graced her Walk with flowered skirts And balanced basket, Nor stand Carmenesque, Hands on hips, and thrust Her haughty laughter out. She did not sling A rifle upon her back, Nor a child across her breasts. Fire did not issue from her gaze And no music from her lips. Her hands were clean, Here forehead modest, serene. How did I fail to understand? A female, like any common female.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-08-20 09:51 pm (UTC)No Athena. No Medea.
No Adelita nor Malintzin.
From what I could observe
She is a women risen from a rib
Like any other--
Two eyes, two breasts, one uterus.
She did not arrive
Wearing raiments of gold
On a barge from the Nubian Nile.
No Botticelli pearl was she
Riding the crest of a wave
On a pretty half shell.
She did not trophy
Serpents in each upraised fist
Mighty as a priestess.
She neither graced her
Walk with flowered skirts
And balanced basket,
Nor stand Carmenesque,
Hands on hips, and thrust
Her haughty laughter out.
She did not sling
A rifle upon her back,
Nor a child across her breasts.
Fire did not issue from her gaze
And no music from her lips.
Her hands were clean,
Here forehead modest, serene.
How did I fail to understand?
A female, like any common female.
For a common male.
(Sandra Cisneros // The New Year)
no subject
Date: 2008-08-20 09:53 pm (UTC)