La Paz Bolivia Street Scene (August 2019) — Image by kenne
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.
-- Bolivian Poet, Adela Zamudio
Awesome capture of a street scene in Bolivia, kenne. No surprise here: a female vendor!
A great sense of ‘INEQUALITY” permeated throughout the poem!
“Women in Bolivia face struggles and discrimination in several aspects of their lives, although the Constitution of Bolivia guarantees equal rights for women and men! Lucky “to be born a man”!
But does it only happen in Bolivia? An overwhelming majority of Americans believe that ‘gender inequality’ also exists in the U.S.!!
Yes, that’s the message I was trying to convey. Thanks for your comment.