Poem - Blessing All

[kokopelle]

The poem “Blessing All” was written in the spirit of my very visceral reaction to the book / movie “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Set in a near-future New England, in a totalitarian theocracy which has overthrown the United States government, the novel explores themes of women in subjugation and the various means by which they gain individualism and independence. Add this this the stories of women being abused by existing Complementarianism (a theological view held by some in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere), it is no wonder that my poem is very raw.


Blessing All

It's the wettest dream
put for forth by a patriarch
wishing to fulfill their appetites
while the female must submit
happiness is the highest goal
not for all, just his own
as the man rules all beheld
with his deity blessing all.

Look to pages of holy books
dogmas passed down by the elders
there you'll find the proof
asking gracious to kowtow
or should I say graciously
there may be no thankfulness
when little can be denied
to head of house, religious boss.

A universal order must exist
with one on top, if that's their wish
submission is the natural course
this domination is home grown
humility is asked by his god
the mate's interests before his own
this is the theory put to test
when pleasure is taken with hot lust.

The yoke is kind, the load is light
dinner at 5:00 please the good wife
delivered up for the master's whim
based on welfare's pleasure and power's boon
in all things, praise the church
apologies cover transgressions' hurts
foul temptation is power's gift
easily satisfied by a velvet fist.

© 2017. Sean Green. All Rights Reserved. 20170428.