Feminist Poems
by Catherine Jennifer Walbridge ©2022
- Fingers
I’m in the bathroom at night
I’m sitting on the toilet
I need some toilet paper
It is dark.
I reach for the end of the roll
I have to find the end
I touch the roll, very gently I find the end of the roll by turning it around its pivot slowly.
I’m in the book store
I’m at Whole Foods
I’m in their bathroom
The toilet paper is not hanging down conveniently
I reach under the plastic toilet paper dispenser
I have to turn the roll with my hand to find the end.
Gentleness is called for.
Precision.
My baby gives me the cigarette we are smoking
Very tenderly my fingers touch his.
He hands me the cigarette;
We must be careful because it is hot.
This is nothing that machines can do.
The hand…the fingers…the paper…the pen!
2. What it Is to Be a Girl
Walkin’ round with nothin’ hangin
Getting banged, not givin’ bangin.’
Feelin’ fine, sharing the future
Nature says I have to nurture.
Worshipping who I desire?
Goddess—talking on the wire—
Tellin’ me that I can work it—
Practice hard, showin’ you, jerk, fit
As a drum you playin’ on
Inspiring you to write a song.
Where’s the credit? You get some
Providing schooling, sports; not dumb,
You’re simply discriminatin’
Want all control of who you’re datin.’
But she doesn’t grow while still.
Listen here—I see you will!
3. We could make life a lot easier for a lot of people!
In some other countries the folks are allowed
To do small capitalism, and proud
Of their fruit stand they are. And why don’t we
Give some small housing? Austin, Portland—see?!?
One might just heal when they come to possess
Their own door knob, and even to feel blessed
To live in a space where they can just cry
Or take a nap, in privacy. Sound good? Let’s try!
‘Cause people are touching, and people need warming.
They want to run inside when the bugs are swarming.
We all have toes which belong to our feet—
Directing us whither we tread, who we greet.
Do we feel we don’t need manners with our neighbors?
Friends, enemies—for all folks—we must labor
For shared results, progress, two folks on the see-saw—
Neglecting each other, can’t get high, it’s a law
Of nature. (Good deeds make us happy together!
Gifts, sharing, good-natured acting—whatever.)
Enjoy being ourself as we impact another,
And they’re holding us, like a sister or brother.
Family and friends—we do need ‘em.
See all the nations who know they must feed ‘em?
Not leave fellows to rot while leaders drink up,
But help people be strong, all join with a cup!
4. Sexy!
Our place in the world is erotic:
no control over the weather.
No control over the stock market—
No control over our feelings, our finances, our dinner’s quality
because it comes from polluted fields—they may be polluted, we don’t know,
just like we don’t know how our lover will respond from day to day.
Nature is sexy. We are part of nature.
But does our history from now on have to be so hurtful, just because we are trying to live the fact that the world is sexy? that we are not in control, that peoples get hurt because forces are so powerful, like sex?
And we must prove that we can synthesize things; even though we are part of nature, we “are above it”—an abstraction good for who?
“They got screwed.”
Make love, not war!
5. Feathers
Falling into place as I again comb them with my beak.
Life keeps going! I fly!
I feel like a jukebox. All the selections keep dropping into my slots and then I play them…New tunes each day. I learn.
Momentary panic
——worked through—-
Played through
I think of our pet millipede who,
when I turned the light in the kitchen on,
looked at me and ran from the open peanut butter jar to behind the cabinets—
We were both shocked.
We saw it again. I said to my boyfriend, “This is our friend. Don’t kill it.”
Really a beautiful animal with too much style to murder.
My boyfriend! My boyfriend shares with me.
He tries to help me fix my computer and leaves a grease spot on “return.”
Life—decent.
I am 50. Death is approaching, very slowly.
Am hoping not to crash into a window…
If I do and they find me, maybe they will give me to the natural history museum to identify and catalogue:
the Jennybird:
she didn’t shave
she looked at the sky
(a rainbow was there sometimes)
6. The Third Sex
Calculate the appearance—colored clothes and something hair—
Strike up a conversation if you want to take a dare.
Your instinct’s right, because you can’t just look inside the pants—
Your body wants to party, not analyze the dance!
It’s dark and light in stripes in division on a horse—
Picture the zebra now—it’s an animal, of course.
Each one is different—you can see, they really are unique.
Straight markings are impossible—stripes show in curves, go peek!
All in order, some of them are sexy in one way,
Others in another. God makes them—it’s okay.
Humans have fingerprints and some realistic gripes
But when the zebra moves, you don’t think about its pipes.
Are there really only two sexes? Well, ask a doctor—“No.”
How about three then, if there’s hermaphroditic flow?
I say we have some billions, and every person’s great.
Each of us is unique. Some will, maybe, mate;
Some of us have babies; some just clearly can’t.
Sexual organs differ, like the leg that wears the pants.
Don’t cop out, friend, be truthful to your feelings for
A person, not a gender, ‘cause in bed there’s always more
And trans folks can be amazing, just like the others can—
Please remember the zebras before you make a ban,
For God creates with panache, sometimes in black and white,
Somewhat he and somewhat she but always in the right.
If He makes us in His image, well, that means He’s more complex—
He is also She and More—that’s how They stack the decks.
Each person gets a special mix of dark and then of light—
The feminine, the masculine—everybody’s right!
Wise one, know that we can live in peace together—
But we must be creative, like God Itself, no tether.
Open doors but also, sugar, look within, I say—
I’m ready for more tolerance, now and here, today!
7. Frozen Pizza
“The Pill and frozen pizza were women’s liberation,” says my boyfriend.
The progesterone birth control shot and frozen pizza are indeed my liberation:
no blood, no babies. Dinner!
But my guy and I make quality meals, too,
and we sleep together,
and study and read and write and learn about each other and the world, discuss
and walk
and look for pennies, dimes and quarters
and often we find them!
Our pizza costs $5.99 and there are always leftovers for lunch.
The shots are freeing and free
because I have insurance from the government
for being bipolar
which means that I am free to work part time and not be rich.
We endlessly review good business policy for food and liquor establishments,
he saying “You must always please the customer,” and
“I would have specials all the time in a club that looks really classy.”
We love cheese and halvah.
“What can we do, we are only human,” as he says.
8. To the Class of ’21,
from C. Jenny Walbridge
I wrote this speech with my “Judgement Free Zone” pen.
It’s from some planet fitness thing. Now’s when
I’m comin’ from the future, makin’ a stand
Talkin’ of art and healthy in this land,
And sea emocean true. I notice that you grew
Now, we be needin’ your peace signs, too!
My love life, ‘cause I have dignity,
Depends on you having fun. Here, see,
This state, this world, where we be living,
You and me. I’m okay giving,
Though I need you motivated
To pay attention: you’re not dated.
We can care likewise for Earth
While I’m alive, and give you birth.
Lemme just share a couple things
I found out—they might give you wings!
From an artist these words coming,
Who studied peoples, not be dumbing,
Learning all about the others
In the world, our sisters, brothers.
My life is performance art…
Is yours, too? That’s a good start!
Using all the rainbow hues—
Love is wise—that’s my good news.
You can make your body wild
Just like when you were a child
But document your progress, so
You can see just how you grow.
A skateboard sticker I have goes,
“GREEN IS GOoD.” (Seedless should know.)
Not cash green! I now suggest
We give our nature here a rest:
Each day, dance for all and me—
Surprise us—creativity!
No one needs to waste away.
‘If not fun, why done?’ I say.
Science tells us the best way
Most inventive, now, is play!
Sitting versus dancing, here—
Make the world reject fear!
Our planet wants to be known
As a kind place, be a safe home
To stay and dine, without rapine—
(Grabbing others, saying ‘They’re mine.’)
A-R-T ’s in Earth—so, get it?
Grow up, go save your life with it!
Make some noise with pots and pans—
You can grow some grown-up plans!
Makin’ music—olders like it—
Givin’ hope—don’t drive but bike it.
Get tattoos if you need ‘em, whitey,
Browns, you, too, can be delightey.
What’s the rhythm of the game?
Lust is love, they are the same.
Appreciation, courtesy,
Are cool—they make humans to be
Friendly, optimistic, free
To help each other up. You see?
9. Live Child
When “with child” happens in a tube
When no use can be found for lube
Then tell me I’m no animal
Who needs warmth, whose rhythms pull
Me through my life, in winter rain,
Me feeling joy, me feeling pain,
‘Cause I am one with human needs
I cry to you in voice that pleads
That here I sniff and air goes in
And there are you, and here we been
We’re touching now in simple skin
I say your name—you let me in.
10. A Poem
Your recycled paper is more expensive than regular.
It takes a lot of water to clean out a can for recycling.
Having a car must needs be part of your lifestyle.
You are a vulnerable woman, you need the protection. Rape.
Your car is the “greenest” model available.
I am unreasonable to suggest that you are unreasonable.
11. Wild
She was always shoving her wet, wild nose into some cavernous place in the Earth, as if to convince it it still spoke in a valued tongue.
12. If I were the President,
I would need things to be somewhat stressful,
but also fun.
I would need not to have to dress in fancy clothes;
and not to run
‘Cause walking is my sport of choice—
and stretching, too—
I would need to dance around
but not to come unglued.
I would need to get a chance to
talk to people of my State—
Publicity, you know,
and chances to be great.
But wise counsel tells me
that I might be hated;
Though that advice pales
before ones who aren’t dated.
It seems that the U. S.
is in such a hole
We need to rise again and can,
‘cause we got soul!
A many people hurtin’ here
and I do care—
Don’t like to see my sister-girl
up quit, bad fare.
So tired that my brother-man
can only go
As far as rich folks let him,
no bootstraps, and so
Can’t pull up himself;
he needs to live, not die—
It’s serious. I can ask myself
‘cause why?
I’ve learned that to be healthy means
you’ve dignity, you sigh
In pleasure sometimes,
smiling, too—
If you deny the poor,
you work for who?
Lazy are you, one might say?
“Get up and run, and start today!
“You’re good as Hillary in some ways—
With Trump it’s already a craze!”
We’re international, I see—
And that means I can start with me.
Am I a banker? Or have degrees?
No! And yes, I have to tease,
‘Cause I can see what you may not—
A way out for the melting pot!
Be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, more—
Stick with me for an open door.
It looks like pain from way outside
But I won’t ask you to swallow your pride.
We can work, not slave, but play
For future kids and us today.
On this planet there’s a lot
Of wisdom—some is in my plot,
I’m thinking: no more shame
For rich because
They’ll quit supporting
Stuff that does
Not help the matters
Here at hand,
Like empowering folks
To form a band,
To sing wholly the songs we love,
To see again the settling dove.
Peace, baby! Vote this way
in November
And you and I will suddenly
remember.
Love,
~C. Jenny Walbridge
13. My Pledge
I’m gal who’s strong, I’m woman tough
And times ahead, they may be rough
But, see, my heart is big and round–
The Planet wise, the Planet sound
Is first to me–then I’ll make love,
And free the caged white turtledove,
But not before, man! Can you see
I plan in you a door to free?
No mating now is how I say
We need the world fixed up today!
So let’s try no sex any more
’Til females stop being so poor
And plastic ceases being dumped
In water home of whales with humps.
14 Give up those condoms, stand with me—
Abstinence will make us free.
One painful year we’ll slow our lust
’Til Sister Earth can breathe, we’ll trust:
“To-get-her” sing, all safe, and then
Next year here, sex back, our friend!
14. Kali’s Song to the U. S. A.
I worship with my eyes
And my eyes are touched by fire.
I’m Kali, the Destroyer,
Who is likened to a liar,
But it’s never that I’ve killed–no,
Nor ever have I stolen;
You see, I’m not a woeful man
And neither am I rollin’
Deep in guilt and steep hypocrisy,
Cold-heartedness and sin–
I love my every brother,
But he will not let me in!
The worship of the natural can
Take great one Yahweh’s powers,
Though also what’s effective
Is a field full of flowers.
To balance on a seesaw–
Yes, you’ve done it with a friend–
Takes two, but then it needs one more–
The center point–to end.
Say Holy Ghost, call what you will,
But I remind you that
This one who charms by warmth and
Arms is not an idiot!
I’m waiting at the door, you see,
And wondering I be
About who runs the show down here,
God–is it you or me?
We light fire and it licks for us;
Its sight gives our minds a turn.
That’s fuel for the flame;
Thus our hearts do slowly burn.
One cannot fight the glowing
Of one’s nature. And to grow
Takes Earthly womb, and woman’s
Room is soon within the tow.
I, Kali, Indian goddess,
Say let not all grace be men’s:
Fire’s power’s the Eiffel Tower
Of modern folk, with friends,
But male control of nature has
Taken us down a road of pain
And caused in us a longing
For removal of bloodstain.
So do not divorce from love, my friend,
Your worship or your soul.
Your heart’s attached to all these things–
To share all three’s the goal!
Though dime and gold are moon and sun,
They now are linked with fears.
Recall that you are good, oh, land,
You’re beautiful, you’re oh-so-grand,
But if you do not understand,
We’ll drown soon in our tears!
15. Woman’s Day
It’s Woman’s Day today
So all women, please knit something
Then cook something
Then we’ll hear your televised criticisms of the government.
16. Human Needs
Waitin’ at the bus stop, Chicago north range
Lady in pink says she’s homeless, asks for change.
I say “No, I don’t have no coins.” True.
Man beside me pulls out a five for her—whoo!
Lady’s very pleased. To the guy I say,
“That was really nice to treat her that way!”
“My religion,” he replies, “won’t permit me to
Not help her if I can. “ Say what? Say who?
“I’m a Muslim,” he says. I’m familiar, though
Have never read most holy books, Koran and so.
Shelters for our rest
Beds because we nest
Human needs have all of us
Life is what it means to trust.
Invest in a better life for you and your;
Be happy—can you, seeing pain and poor?
Does your religion let you accept it all?
Who do you have to make the call?
Little toes have everyone
Caring and a need for fun
Human needs of all of us
Life is what it means to trust.
Winter quick approaches here
Dark outside, cold people peer
From places warm? or temp housing—
Hearing sound of church bells ring.
It makes me feel enlivened when
I shake a hand and message send
I give some help for human needs;
Love is how contentment breeds.
Shelters for our rest
Beds because we nest
Humanity is all of us—
Life is what it means to trust.
17. Wise Eyes
Seeing in the pond, “I’m beautiful,” she thinks.
Her god has given to her a perfect right to drink.
Hunting with his tools, “I’m powerful,” he states.
“God gave me this talent; he must want me to mate.”
They’re Muslim. Come along a Christian, born and bred.
He’s learned trauma and his sex fills him with dread.
A rational belief system, ‘cause God, who made us all,
Wants us to love in peace, use our hearts, not take a fall?
Oh, no, we must be careful of the female of the race:
We need to control her—make her mind, bind her in lace.
The very mom of Jesus had to be a sinless lass;
Born of mother virgin, to appease the sounding brass.
But customs are as customs do, and variable and so
Creatively invented—they don’t grow up from below
Or from on high. It’s easy to assume yours are the best—
After all, they’re popular, we drink them at the breast.
Jesus came for helping, yet there are others to hear:
Mohammed and Baha’ullah don’t make love seem less dear.
The Christ did not preach pain, self-hate;
Stop flagellation! Find a mate!
18. Rap After Sir Mix-A-Lot’s 1992 “Baby Got Back”
Lady Don’t Lack
We got big butts
And we will not lie
You other peoples
Might ask why
It’s how we’re made, we just size up–
We gonna fill your cup!
We so lovely you tearin’
You look and you can’t stop leerin’
That girl in the mirror smilin’
That fat on her backside pilin’!
In the butt we’re radical!
We be international!
We like our rear
And we think we’re fine
Whoever made us
Was sure tryin’!
Drivin’ to be livin’
Women got much fat
Drivin’ to be livin’
And we sure don’t lack!
We stick out in wide ways
I say we gonna get some lays
Cellulite is here to find?
Jigglin,’ sister, we don’t mind–
We beautiful!
We got big butts
And we think we bad
They givin’ by our mom and dad!
Nobody who be less than cool
Will learn it all at this good school!
We love our butts
And it’s so okay
Bitching about it’s yesterday
My body it ain’t yours for free
Unless you gonna respect me!
Lady don’t lack
Lady don’t lack
Decent folks find our form pleasin’
Nature made us for a reason!
Drivin’ to be livin’
And we got much fat
Drivin’ to be livin’
And we fine with that.
What is that in your head? It’s corny!
That thought you got makes you too scorny!
Critic baby you may be
Well free your mind, y’all, say me!
Dial 1-800-FIX-A-LOT
And ditch those sexist thoughts!
Lady don’t lack!
19. Chicago Connection
Rap after NWA’s “Express Yourself” and Above the Law’s “Freedom of Speech”
ARTEMIS
There’s been a lot of hiding and terrifying out there and I’ve never had the chance to tell anyone what way is up. It’s time to dig reality. I’m workin’ on me. I’m tryin’ to
Connect myself…
People tell me I should
“Express myself!”
(Be enlightening this geek will–
You’ll want to read the sequel!)
I’m expressin’ with my vulnerability
And I’m a comin’ from bipolarist virility.
I get sick of takin’ pills to self-deadicate;
I’m an ape and have biology to medicate.
With you I pledge to share my design–
And what I need to be more or less fine.
I’m connectin’ for my responsibility
Of livin’ in a world with human fra-ility
I make lovin’ thought with each embroidered stitch
My needle’s workin,’ I’m like a acupuncture witch!
The war now over, here’s what I’m gonna make—
My mind is free, it’s just like I’m gonna break
Dance in the street–I’m ‘a level with you:
My city’s real pretty but I’ll tell it what to do.
“Heal thyself” said the doctor by the name of Dre–
“First, do no harm—” We should be goin’ that way!
Connect myself…
Express myself…
Yeah, I’m a sewer and it’s time for relatin,’
Connectin’ the dots for the inundatin’
Of all us citizens–why, you wanna know?
I’ve been through the trial, wanna help our love to show.
Drugs have seen their day and ECT has, too;
There’s better stuff out there, we should see it through!
Just like that alternative energy tech–
Earth and our bodies need apology—heck!
Mental illness ain’t a place to dwell in long
Discrimination there’s the way to do it wrong;
Why attack with words and antiquated solution
When all are in the boat of chemical pollution?
Be enlivening the meek will–
Come out and be our equal!
Connect ourselves!
Countin’ on my method, well, I think that I can do this
Though conventionals may say I’m lookin’ foolish.
I been healing–don’t criticize me;
Talk to me close up–look into my eyes–see?
I’m plannin’ a great world party!
Let’s get there now—we ain’t tardy!
It seems that a lot a us have depression.
Ain’t no surprise–but there’s a lesson
For us, it’s the consequences of messin’
With Nature–I do it too, I’m confessin,’
And holdin’ back our good hearts from each other,
Including our differently-abled brother,
And our poor sister, who ain’t got one dime–
The children, too! Isn’t now the time?
They say, “express myself”?
—Respect myself?
In fifty years, doctor billing will catch up with news.
But by then our health and compassion will lose!
We just have no trust in all but the painful–
Big medical treatment is often disdainful!
Bodies a universal language for all to hear—
Don’t go drownin’ in your beer!
Some don’t agree with my unique approaches:
I stay away from illicit drugs and roaches,
Cause they make a sister foolish–
I need all of my body parts to do this!
A fancy degree? Well, I lack it.
I got style though, but others will attack it!
It’s scary to me, the form of folks out in the cold for the norm but I’m warm!
Connect myself…
Respect myself!
Lookin’ at the mirror;
No reason to fear ‘er!
I want to put Libertyville on the map;
My mid-U. S. hometown’s the source of my rap
Tom Morello and I be there on the crew
We be Illinoisan if we can’t reach you!
Why I got to be here, talking so much,
Stitchin’ and preachin,’ and tryin’ to touch
You, neighbor, acquaintance, ‘cause you tellin’ me
That we needin’ help? Yeah, this I can see!
Don’t let your bad contort us,
‘Cause it could abort us!
Like is the U. S. just a correctional facility?
‘Cause I’m concerned with our psyches’ mobility:
I see talent that’s been wasted extreme;
WPA-like’s what I dream.
There’s methods around that would solve people’s problems–
Whether they be Jews, Christians, or Moslems–
Why they be in hiding
When they could be guiding?
This woman’s got to criticize two or ten–
There’s stuff going down and it’s hurting a friend–
He can’t do painting when there’s shooting outside:
How will he feel some pride?
Fifty stars on the flag, but the actors are soakin’
Up the blues of addiction while their nannies are jokin’
“See you in rehab,” say the rich girls and males
“See you in prison,” say the poor, “in the jails.”
Just take it around U. S. country and then
Go further and learn, and then listen and when
You see with your heart like I have done that soon
All people are one and we need the same tune:
To express ourselves,
Connect ourselves,
Respect ourselves!
People call it wise when you sharin’ the truth
‘Cause how you gonna be when you don’t have youth?
Is there gonna be a future for you or for me?
‘Cause we closin’ our eyes, and we just don’t see.
For many a muted voice here do I speak–
Chicago’s my home and the strong and the weak
Are both humbled by Lake and sidewalk and poor–
Those who aren’t lazy but can’t find a door.
My thinking is different, my projects, they rock me,
Though many would see my appearance and mock me
Yet I live inside this big body of mine
And I say to you that conditions are fine
That here in this brick house, this person can count
The goodnesses that to her heart and it’s fount
Have been from the brave world extended and so
Are making it right for my virtues to grow.
(Some people say that my whole self is arty.
I want to hear them, smarty!)
See a therapist, yeah, this is what I do,
And make some inner working break the hold on you.
See society, and then take a look at the world–
Help the Planet get the Earth flag unfurled!
I want to teach citizens and educate
See, females are now in the ring–are you late?
I ask bulls**** prevention for the future date
For expressin’ myself and improvin’ our fate!
I need some good fuel to live in peace.
Touching and home-cooked food are my grease,
And love from my tan man to make me create:
3-, 2-D and rhymin,’ my medicine’s great!
Unfortunately, in my present condition,
To function I make an unwelcome addition:
Yeah, I’m taking drugs, though I don’t like to do it,
But these days, sanity—they get me to brew it.
Sooner or later I may find my peak—
Instead of the drugs, Alexander Technique—
“The Body Has Its Reasons”—so, my body, speak!
I want to hear me, from howl to squeak!
Am I but alone in the law of the land?
My arms are but two–is there but one more hand?
Let’s hear from the people whose voices are few—
From the tens, and the hundreds, the millions, and you!
Express yourself, baby!
Please, do it—no maybe!
Friendly folks are reachin’ out to meet us, true,
So welcome to the start—celebrate the heart!
Connect yourself, respect yourself—express yourself:
Elect yourself to Artemis and heal our part!
American
Recovery
Team
Ecological
Muse
International
Synthesis!
20. Peace
Peace doesn’t come from quietude,
From standing like a tree;
Creation is its action mood,
So set the spirit free!
21. Blissful
Blissful is everything—
the nouns and the verbs.
Even the predicates follow their hearts.
We realize with eyes some,
with fingers others,
with love singing through the air others still.
But who are we, in happiness?
Why and wherefore do we this and that, making babies?
Tell us, please—if not in love, where are we?
22. Recess
Now let that I have said it here
Be evidence for more—
Americans are feeling how
Our culture makes us sore:
Sore when we build up the strong cult
Of power, and then just
Watch that great strength start to break down
The gentlest hearts, and us.
By rejecting a large part—
Its Nature—the U. S. has
Both lied to all and turned away its
Very soul—its jazz!
See, people, we cry out and cheer
When Michael Jordan moves,
Yet we don’t let on to the fact
All humans need to groove—
We evolved to exercise,
To move our bodies, stroll;
Our ancestors were great walkers;
This sitting takes its toll!
John Kenneth Galbraith said,
“The ideas by which people…in measure guide their
behavior were not forged in a world of wealth.”
He’s dead,
But John’s words seems to echo
What we know from science books:
Our heritage is that of schemer,
Not so much of rich-folk’s looks.Let’s learn about our past,
For learning often is the key
That, combined with dreaming,
Brings a better home to be.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge,”
Einstein thought.
I’m telling you that we need both;
To help our Earth we ought!
A position that supports us in
Naturally unfolding will
Find great rewards from those it serves,
Will hear no voice be still.
Teams are a great way of working—
A true solution, fostering friends.
Creativity’s for me
Not only means, but happy ends.
The ideas of rich and poor,
The leveling of their wealth,
So all contribute to the world,
Would bring great results! Stealth
It seems, so simple! but
Fine work for you and me.
With wonder as a cornerstone,
We’ll build to set us free!
But look we should into the past,
So we can get inspired.
The task is grand and we must plan
For a natural kind of wired,
That to one another. Hey,
You—man, woman, Turk or Norse—
It’s time to play with each other, For our kids’ lives, of course!
