In honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, I am posting a limerick I wrote in 2018 when Brett Kavanaugh was appointed to the Supreme Court. I revised and expanded it in 2020 when the Senate Judiciary Committee rammed Amy Coney Barrett onto the Supreme Court amidst widespread opposition during the election. Nearly six years later it still feels true, so today I did a bit more revision and expansion.   

Why?  The creative challenge, discipline and enjoyment in doing this calms me, shows me my truth, and reminds me of my/our strength and agency, something those in power want to deny us. May it inspire, strengthen and amuse you.

We Are Inevitable

There once was a woman of age
Who found she was seething with rage.
While the white men with power
Sat smug in their tower
Dreaming myths of a past golden age.

Greedy boys who like flaunting some flash,
Asking first if you’ve made lots of cash,
Those not rich, male and white,
Have no place in their sight,
Just to trample, to use, treat like trash. 

Well, the world does not stand still for long.
Go ahead: chant your smug little song.
You may think that you’ve won,
And you’ve had a good run,
But quite soon we’ll be saying “so long!”

We are here, boys, our memory’s long,
Change is coming; folks know you are wrong
We who haven’t had voices
Are making new choices
And in joining, we see we are strong.

We refuse to fall prey to the fear
That you’ve used to shove us to the rear,
With both coolness and fire
We’ve surged into the mire
So what’s hidden and rotten can clear.

Though you’ve botched up the works, it is true,
Ideology’s sad toxic brew,
We will vote in some heart
Folks who want a fresh start
Yes! We’ll toss out your whole dried up crew.

We are done with your shit, boys, we’re through!
We are ready to forge something new! 
What needs healing is vast
So it won’t happen fast
But we know it is way overdue.

You can’t stop us, we’re not going away!
We refuse to keep justice at bay,
Though you slander and jeer us
We see that you fear us, 
We know “good for us all” is the way.

Not just people, but plants, beasts and seas
And the water, the air and the bees
Without seeing that connection
We have no protection
Nor the meaning that gives our hearts ease

And the Ancestors bless and they’ll grin
As we reshape old yang into yin,
Heeding wisdom we’re shown
Held in belly and bone
’Til again all on earth will be kin.
(Joy and pleasure will no more be sin!)

AEPeek

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