To be born a man
She works so hard
to make up for the sloth
of her husband, and in the house
(Pardon my surprise.)
he’s so inept and pompous,
that of course he’s the boss
because he’s a man!
If some poems get written,
a person must have written them,
but she just transcribed them.
(Pardon my surprise.)
If we’re not sure who’s the poet,
why assume it was him?
Because he’s a man!
A smart, classy woman
can’t vote in elections,
but the poorest felon can.
(Pardon my surprise.)
If he can just sign his name
even an idiot can vote
because he’s a man!
He sins and drinks and gambles
and in a backwards twist of luck
she suffers, fights, and prays.
(Pardon my surprise.)
That we call her the “frail sex”
and him the “strong sex”
because he’s a man!
She has to forgive him
when he’s unfaithful;
but he can avenge himself.
(Pardon my surprise.)
In a similiar case
he’s allowed to kill her
because he’s a man!
Oh, privileged mortal
you enjoy lifelong
honor and perfect ease!
For this, to get all this,
it’s enough for you
to be born a man.
Forever
Knowing that you’re leaving
torments me night and day
my heart bleeds
like a damned soul in hell.
Depart, depart for distant cities
keep on living your other life
and forget whatever I’ve suffered
as you enjoy existence.
Black mists, jealous clouds of darkness
obscure your brow in storm,
and the pain that I’ve felt
bursts forth in a torrent of tears.
Since the day I saw you
my soul glows haloed in your eyes
and my heart is full
of scarlet petals.
If in my chest there could be flowers
since this heart languishes, withering,
it would carpet with petals
the road where you walk.
Depart, depart for distant lands
go on living your other life
and bury in forgetfulness
everything that’s existe
d here.
