Poems about Societal Oppression of Women : HaliJo Webster

For too long, the voices and rights of women have been dismissed, considered "inferior", and under generally white male domination. There are plenty of feminist groups and womens circles that do aim to reclaim empowerment, freedom and equality for all women, but in reality this doesn't always work out, because even many Women's Circles and women's groups claim to help give women a voice...but only if you conform. We are human beings caught in a system of forced conformities, yet "one size" does not "fit all"!

The societal baggage we all carry, borne out in part by individual "herstories", "histories", and first nations global haulocast stories, is something that we in this generation are now having to come to grips with as we are starting to become more conscious. It is time to wake up and restore balance of women's rights and the rights of all human beings.

It is with this understanding I share my experiences so that you do not feel alone in your own disbelief and confusion while living in todays realities.

Until I Fall
by HaliJo Webster

I shout and no one seems to hear.
I dance naked and no one responds.
I wow my "self" and stand higher
than any mountain I have stood on before!
No one sees me.
Not till I fall.

I am deeper than the oceans
and no one notices my meaning
I have crawled out from rock with worms in hand
to prove my place in a time ago
Brushed my "self" off and flew,
no one sees my flight.
Not till I fall.

I shout "hey"!
I sing out!
I move about!
I talk!
I write!
I scream!
No-one hears....
Until I fall.

Oppressed,
Alone.
Dancing in a world to busy to hear.
Enthralled by individual mountain climbing.
Rightfully so!!!!

Will you see my message?
Will you see the healing?
Will you stop to really listen?
If we are all on mountains or climbing them...
How can we hear each other?
Why wait...
Until the fall?

About fix it men, I could disappear but...
by HaliJo Webster

For all you do, I feel worthless.
where did my name go?
Everything lost.
No direction.
you have taken it all -
my dignity,
my voice.

Two in a room,
I disappear
like a child.
My voice is not heard.
Incredulous in your ignorance,
no idea of your ego
and raw male pride.

How dependant are you on
others who feed your overblown ideas.
Poor things.

If you would only allow yourselves to cry.
Imagine the time you could spend on your selves
instead of having to protect us "weak inferior beings".
Us Woman,
Womyn, I prefer.

Open your eyes you fools
see and hear the miraculous female gender.
Say the word vagina,
be free to connect with consciousness.
Why choose to be unconscious
and model after your forefathers
whose role was to be blinded by reality?

There is strength in Womyn.
Does the body shape scare you?
What power do you witness in the Goddesses of this Earth?
Why do you fear us so?

When your penis swells in your pants,
why do you say, "look what you have done to me"?
Why do you not take responsibility for your thought.
Could it be that you act like a little man
and are ashamed to face the unconsious behavior
you have become unaware of until now?

You may wish to sit at the heads of tables
but you are no hero.
Your words are human and actions are
carried out as a play already written for you.

Break free the chains around your spirit
and allow the light in to pass your depression and darkness.
Choose to love yourself
and allow the new thought of happiness
to enter the shadows of your youth.

The freedom to be is only a thought away.
Come join me in this spirit dance won't you?
Let us frolic,
and be one with consciousness.

A Not-So-Healing Campfire
by HaliJo Webster

Part I...

Reel you in the web
of passive non face to face confrontations,
leaving you with neglectful agents.
Drinkers, potheads, red necks, wife beaters, children shushers, dog kickers,
ignorance and prejudices, dancing around campfires.

Women (my sisters) doing their white male societal "duties",
drinking to ease that un-natural fit
who look at me like an alien freak!

Who is this woman who talks and sings about my life
as if it were a negative unhealthy way to live?

Correcting words "nigger", "sqaw indians" and "little lady"...
talking about women as humans....
struggling in a white male society
that curses our men and our women.
That women's stories count!

This ignorant unevolved circle
sends shivers of "deliverance" up my skin
and confusing reality enters my thoughts.

I once danced stoned and clueless in this place of beliefs.
Swimming to find the release inside
to allow my being to separate
from this stagnant living I once called home.
Where can I find the growth here?

Part II...

On landlords and campfire circles...

Who is this woman who speaks out on rights and tenancy!
She believes she has a right to a healthy standard of living!!!!
How dare she!
Where is her man?
We can get more sense from him.
He will put her in her place.

Unfair, unfair, unfair and unjust!

Push the loudmouth with this talk of empowerment
out of this safe male ego-fed
and "what we only know and do so well" side
of the living in suppressd oppressionville.

I rise up to share my knowledge with wakened eyes
but have not been heard, respected, understood
or welcomed here.

I learn much!
I see much!
I get a "Si" of validation and relief,
a reminder to put feelings to words,
to create and heal.
I am in no harm.

I see the reflections of the tribe
I once tripped over
and robotically mimicked
what I thought was my
supposed-to-do's
and rightful in-my-place-space.
Searching to find a seat that felt comfortable.
I did not succeed.

I now walk and search for no station
but move slowly and with more freedom.
I am growing through the pains,
through the realities of barriers
of being born a Woman.

For The Good Of The White Male Society
(Outweigh The One)
by HaliJo Webster

Exiled!
from those caught in a system of racers
going nowhere fast!
No beginning, no end.

Plead for funding
with the good honest intention
that this will help unpress the suppressed.

For the good of the many outweigh the one!

Forums digest ventilations of others
as plays and programmes arise from the gathering.
Individual voices are lost to a generaliztion of possible strategies
where only the rigteous sleep at night.

For the good of the many outweigh the one!

But...
What about the fragile of mind?
What about THAT one?

Researchers use the voices for statistics
and more of the same silencing is produced from pen to paper.
Numbers and theories that develop from gullible diverse varieties,
names and faces lost to stats in the name of anonymoty.

For the good of the many outweigh the one!

But,
What about the face of that fragile mind?
What about THAT one?

You say every Woman's voice counts,
yet you label her after the words are shared
and trusted with you not to judge.
Prejudices and stereotyping bubble
at the roots of organizations
as you claim that you wish to help.

For the good of the many outweigh the one!

But,
What about the vunerability of the fragile mind?
What about THAT one?

Tainted by white male societal, silver-tongued,
disconnected individuals with acedemic degrees,
enhanced by ideas born out of the research and programmes
initiated from labled inferior Women's voices,
as you grow to the top of the glass managerie...
you offer no employable positions -
voices are utilized,
but are said to be a risk.
"Thanks for allowing our society to pick your brain,
thanks for your time and passion,
when you wish to behave,
please do come visit us again,
don't let the estrogen
smack you on the way out!"

For the good of the many outweigh the one!

But,
What about the lost soul looking to find a home or tribe
other than what is yet to be found
dwelling within the fragile mind?
What about THATone?

The fragile mind wishes
to connect
to assist
to share
to enlighten
to evolve
to empower,
just as you claim to do!
The doors have closed after she reaches the climax
of the unfulfilled promises given to her.
She tires,
however does not re-tire.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh yes!
Another lesson learned.
You too, are caught in a system of
webbed confusion, pressures,
hirearchial human oppressions,
where one size is forced to fit all.

For the good of the white male's society
outweigh the one.