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A free woman's voice opens as a flower to the sun.

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”May your belly never grumble, may your heart never ache, may your horse never stumble, may your cinch never break!

7/18/2015

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"I'm not crazy about country-western music. But the lyrics are good."

Alice Cooper

 
Today we are going to explore just the tip of the Country and Western iceberg, for social comment and change. I have never really been a fan of Country and Western until recently. I always held the stereotypical opinion that it was all a bunch of sad stories and love sick crooning, by cowboys and cowgirls. I never really listened to Country, and so I was not exposed to the true culture. “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver, was probably my earliest exposure to pure country, and I loved that; but it wasn’t “cool” back in the 70’s in England to like C&W. The occasional hit by The Dixie Chicks or more recently, Kacey Musgraves, made me wake up and smell the proverbial coffee. I have long been a fan of The Indigo girls, but they did not really fall into the category of Country and Western , but an early KD Lang performance  of “Cowgirls never get the blues” wowed me, and should have alerted me to a whole new world of music and lyrics !

 Country music, in all its varieties, spread rapidly after World War II

Early country music records provide us with a retrospective image of tradition in a period of rapid change: Music ranges from, ballads and love songs, family, hearth and home, to tales of unrequited love, and restless migration.
The following is an excerpt from the U.S. Department of State publication, American Popular Music.

 
Country music has always been about the relationship between the countryside and the city, home and migration, the past and the present. This is not surprising if we consider the main audience for this music during the 1920s: rural people whose way of life was being radically transformed by the mechanization of agriculture and changes in the American economy, and migrants who left home to find jobs and establish new lives in the city.


There are countless examples of social and political messages wrapped into musical packages and delivered as entertainment dating back to the Great Depression, but I have chosen just a few examples to perhaps shine a different light on how you might think about Country and Western music, especially with regard to Women’s issues and Rights.

So here goes!

"Don't Take Your Guns to Town" is a 1958 single by Johnny Cash. The song tells the story of a young cowboy who, ignoring the advice from his mother, gets into a saloon gunfight and is killed.


A young cowboy named Billy Joe grew restless on the farm
A boy filled with wonder-lust who really meant no harm
He changed his clothes and shined his boots
And combed his dark hair down
And his mother cried as he walked out


Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town


He laughed and kissed his mom
And said your Billy Joe's a man
I can shoot as quick and straight as anybody can
But I wouldn't shoot without a cause
I'd gun nobody down
But she cried again as he rode away


Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town


He sang a song as on he rode
His guns hung at his hips
He rode into a cattle town
A smile upon his lips
He stopped and walked into a bar
And laid his money down
But his mother's words echoed again


Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town


He drank his first strong liquor then to calm his shaking hand
And tried to tell himself he had at last he had become a man
A dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down
And he heard again his mother’s words


Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to town


Filled with rage then
Billy Joe reached for his gun to draw
But the stranger drew his gun and fired
Before he even saw
As Billy Joe fell to the floor
The crowd all gathered 'round
And wondered at his final words


Don't take your guns to town son
Leave your guns at home Bill
Don't take your guns to to town




Originally recorded by Nine Inch Nails, the song "Hurt" has been adapted and covered by several artists, including Johnny Cash and Leona Lewis. The song includes references to self-harm and heroin addiction, although the overall meaning of the song is ultimately disputed.

An excerpt from Hurt, below:

Seems like it was yesterday when I saw your face
You told me how proud you were but I walked away
If only I knew what I know today


I would hold you in my arms
I would take the pain away
Thank you for all you've done
Forgive all your mistakes.


There's nothing I wouldn't do
To hear your voice again.
Sometimes I wanna call you but I know you won't be there


Oh, I'm sorry for blaming you for everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself by hurting you


Some days I feel broke inside but I won't admit
Sometimes I just wanna hide 'cause it's you I miss
And it's so hard to say goodbye when it comes to this, ooh, whoa


After the tragic events of September 11th 2001, many new Protest Country songs were written,

These include:

Alan Jackson, "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

Bruce Springsteen, "The Rising"

 Steve Earle, "John Walker's Blues"

“By casting the infamous "American Taliban", John Walker Lindh as the song's narrator, country-rock icon Steve Earle projected Americans' alienation from their own culture and inspirations for fundamentalist terrorists”  (ref: Politics daily.com)

Then came James McMurtry, "We Can't Make It Here Anymore"

“We can’t make it here anymore” takes a tough look at Poverty, minimum wage, the economy, importation versus “made in America”, war, and  racism; the dashed American dream.

 “will work for food, will die for oil, will kill for power / billionaires will pay less tax, the working poor will fall through the cracks”

  "Dust devils dance in the noonday heat/ There's rats in the alley/ And trash in the street/ Gang graffiti on a boxcar door/ We can't make it here anymore." 


Willie Nelson has to be mentioned in this context. Over the years he has been a singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist, author, poet, actor, and activist. He has written hundreds of songs that could fall into the category of C&W for social change. He writes from his own experiences in relationships “To all the girls I’ve loved before”; Life, ”Funny how time slips away”; and his dealings with the IRS for tax evasion, “The IRS tapes: Who’ll buy my memories.”  He has always been an advocate for freedom of speech, and for the underdog. In his song Heartland, a track from Nelson's 1993 Across the Borderline, Willie and Dylan sing an elegy to America’s family farmers,

"My American dream fell apart at the seam.”

The song details the war between forlorn American farmers and their unsympathetic bankers, with the latter being the victor.
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And now for the women!

Tammy Wynette’s  “Stand By Your Man” definitely did not help the reputation of  Country music for speaking out about gender equality and women’s rights!

For years women in the country music industry have written songs about men breaking their hearts, cheating, and loving not-so-loving men.

 However, many female country music artists are boldly singing out about these issues.

“Single girl/Married girl “sung by the Carter Family, is one of the earliest feminist songs, that echoes the roots of female dissatisfaction and rebellion for change.

The song is a tale that encourages women to savor their independence.  The song emphasizes the differences between the single girl, who gets to flaunt her nice clothes, while the married woman rocks her baby and weeps. It talks of developing female independence, rather than dependence on a man.

 

Taylor Swift in Bad blood, addresses family violence

Band-aids don't fix bullet holes
You say sorry just for show
If you live like that, you live with ghosts 
Band-aids don't fix bullet holes 
You say sorry just for show 
If you live like that, you live with ghosts 
If you love like that blood runs cold


Maddie & Tae – “Girl In a Country Song”

This song was released in July, 2014 as their debut single. They were tired of girls being portrayed as sexual objects for many famous male performers.

 
Well, I wish I had some shoes on my two bare feet
And it's gettin' kinda cold in these painted on cut-off jeans
I hate the way this bikini top chafes
Do I really have to wear it all day?

I hear you over there on your tailgate whistlin' 
Sayin', "Hey girl."
But you know I ain't listenin'
'Cause I got a name
And to you it ain't "pretty little thing", "hottie" or "baby"
Yeah it's drivin' me red-red-red-red-red-red-redneck crazy

[Chorus:]
Bein' the girl in a country song
How in the world did it go so wrong?
Like all we're good for
Is looking good for you and your friends on the weekend
Nothing more
We used to get a little respect
Now we're lucky if we even get
To climb up in your truck, keep our mouth shut and ride along
And be the girl in a country song

Well, shakin' my moneymaker ain’t ever made me a dime
And there ain't no sugar for you in this shaker of mine
Tell me one more time, "you gotta get you some of that"
Sure I'll slide on over, but you’re gonna get slapped (Hah!)
These days it ain't easy being that


Aww no, Conway and George Strait
Never did it this way
Back in the old days
Aww y'all, we ain't a cliché
That ain't no way
To treat a lady...


 

Dolly Parton.

Just Because I’m a Woman” is a song written by Dolly Parton in response to a conversation with her husband about how many lovers they’d had in the past. It has a simple message, yet a powerful and relevant one.  Dolly implies that just because she is a woman, her mistakes are no worse than her husband’s.  Released in 1968, this song made an impact, and spoke out  about women’s rights long before people were ready to accept the message.

1975--Loretta Lynn, "The Pill" Loretta Lynn was banned from the radio in 1975! Here she celebrates reproductive choice, and it's freedoms!

You wined me and dined me
When I was your girl
Promised if I'd be your wife
You'd show me the world
But all I've seen of this old world
Is a bed and a doctor bill
I'm tearin' down your brooder house
'Cause now I've got the pill
All these years I've stayed at home
While you had all your fun
And every year that's gone by
Another babys come
There's a gonna be some changes made
Right here on nursery hill
You've set this chicken your last time
'Cause now I've got the pill


This old maternity dress I've got
Is goin' in the garbage
The clothes I'm wearin' from now on
Won't take up so much yardage
Miniskirts, hot pants and a few little fancy frills
Yeah I'm makin' up for all those years
Since I've got the pill


I'm tired of all your crowin'
How you and your hens play
While holdin' a couple in my arms
Another's on the way
This chicken's done tore up her nest
And I'm ready to make a deal
And ya can't afford to turn it down
'Cause you know I've got the pill


This incubator is overused
Because you've kept it filled
The feelin' good comes easy now
Since I've got the pill
It's gettin' dark it's roostin' time
Tonight's too good to be real
Oh but daddy don't you worry none
'Cause mama's got the pill
Oh daddy don't you worry none
'Cause mama's got the pill


 

The Dixie Chicks

Formed in Dallas, Texas in 1989 as a Western-themed bluegrass band, the Dixie Chicks became one of the most popular acts in contemporary country music, as well as the highest-selling female group in America.

 Goodbye Earl is a commentary on domestic violence, and a satirical ballad about a young girl who ends up killing her husband, and opening a road side stall selling Strawberry jam; ( a symbol of revenge and  new found independence. ) There is tongue-in-cheek video on #YouTube.com where they sing this song and act out the story.. 


Mary Anne and Wanda were the best of friends
All through their high school days
Both members of the 4H Club
Both active in the FFA

After graduation Mary Anne went out
lookin' for a bright new world
Wanda looked all around this town
and all she found was Earl

Well, it wasn't two weeks
after she got married that
Wanda started gettin' abused
She put on dark glasses
and long sleeved blouses
And make-up to cover her bruise

Well, she finally got the nerve to file for divorce
She let the law take it from there
But Earl walked right through that restraining order
And put her in intensive care

Right away Mary Anne flew in from Atlanta
On a red eye midnight flight
She held Wanda's hand and they worked out a plan
And it didn't take them long to decide
That Earl had to die

Goodbye, Earl
Those black-eyed peas?
They tasted all right to me, Earl
You're feeling weak?
Why don't you lay down and sleep, Earl
Ain't it dark?
Wrapped up in that tarp, Earl



The cops came by to bring Earl in
They searched the house high and low
Then they tipped their hats
and said "Thank You, ladies, if you hear from him let us know"

Well, the weeks went by and spring turned to summer
And summer faded into fall
And it turns out he was a missing person
who nobody missed at all

So the girls bought some land
and a roadside stand
Out on Highway 109
They sell Tennessee ham
and strawberry jam,
And they don't lose any sleep at night
'Cause Earl had to die

Goodbye Earl
We need a break
Let's go out to the lake, Earl
We'll pack a lunch
And stuff you in the trunk, Earl
Well, is that all right?
Good! Let's go for a ride, Earl.
Hey!


 

In “The Travelin’ soldier “ the Dixie Chicks make social commentary primarily about the Vietnam war, but this could apply to any wartime era.   

"Travelin' Soldier"

Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said, "Would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me?
I'm feeling a little low."
She said, "I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go."

So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you

I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter said
A soldier's coming home

So the letters came from an army camp
In California then Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said, "When it's getting kinda rough over here,
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier.
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile.
Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile."


One Friday night at a football game
The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang
A man said, "Folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead."
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read but nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair





Kacey Musgraves has a made a huge impact in the country music world by sharing her liberal views. This song, “Follow Your Arrow” encourages people to do whatever makes them happy, and not try to please others.  This song is a comment on feminism, body image, gay rights and acceptance.

If you save yourself for marriage
You're a bore
You don't save yourself for marriage
You're a horrible person
If you won't have a drink then you're a prude
But they'll call you a drunk
As soon as you down the first one
If you can't lose the weight
Then you're just fat
But if you lose too much
Then you're on crack


You're damned if you do
And you're damned if you don't
So, you might as well just do
Whatever you want


So, make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that's something you're into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint or don't
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points


If you don't go to church, you'll go to hell
If you're the first one on the front row
You're a self-righteous son of a
Can't win for losing
You'll just disappoint 'em
Just 'cause you can't beat 'em
Don't mean you should join 'em


So, make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that's something you're into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint or don't
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points


Say what you think
Love who you love
'Cause you just get so many trips around the sun
Yeah, you only, only live once


So, make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that's something you're into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint or don't
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points



Miranda Lambert,”Gunpowder and Lead”  breaks into the popular "revenge against an abuser" genre…..

County road two thirty-three under my feet
Nothin' on this white rock but little ol' me
I've got two miles till he makes bail
And if I'm right, we're headed straight for hell

I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun
Wait by the door, and light a cigarette
If he wants a fight, well, now he's got one
And he ain't seen me crazy yet
He slapped my face, and he shook me like a rag doll
Don't that sound like a real man?
I'm going to show him what little girls are made of
Gunpowder and lead

Well, it's half past ten, another six-pack in
And I can feel the rumble like the cold black wind
He pulls in the drive, the gravel flies
He don't know what's waiting here this time

Yeah, I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun
Wait by the door, and light a cigarette
If he wants a fight, well, now he's got one
And he ain't seen me crazy yet
He slapped my face, and he shook me like a rag doll
Don't that sound like a real man?
I'm going to show him what little girls are made of
Gunpowder and lead

His fist is big, but my gun's bigger
He'll find out when I pull the trigger

I'm goin' home, gonna load my shotgun
Wait by the door, and light a cigarette
If he wants a fight, well, now he's got one
And he ain't seen me crazy yet
He slapped my face, and he shook me like a rag doll
Don't that sound like a real man?
I'm going to show him what little girls are made of
Gunpowder and, gunpowder and lead


Gunpowder and lead



Kira Isabella’s song,”Quarterback” is a catchy, clever, and telling song exposing rape culture.

It was Friday night and the lights were shinning
Everyone was sitting in the stands
He was being scouted by a big time college
She played trumpet in the marching band
In the parking lot, when the game was over
She had a bus to ride
When he pulled up in his buddy's truck
And the door swung open wide

He was the quarterback
Smile at her, imagine that
How do you explain the star of the game
And the no name girl from the freshman class

She got out at a bonfire party
Never had a drink before
But he held it to her lips and she took her first sip
And before she knew it, she had three more

She always heard that a girls first time,
Is a memory she'll never forget
She found out the hard way about love
When she saw those pictures on the internet

He was the quarterback
Smile at her, imagine that
Who you gonna blame the star of the game
Or the no name girl in the freshman class
He was the quarterback
Smile at her, imagine that
Who you gonna blame, the star of the game
Or the no name girl in the marching band


Monday morning when the word got out
Everybody picked a side
He had the school and the whole town too
And she had nothing but the truth inside

He was the quarterback
Smile at her, imagine that
Who you gonna blame, the star of the game
Or the no name girl in the freshman class
He was the quarterback
Lied to her, imagine that
He was the quarterback
She was in the freshman class
He was the quarterback

Who you gonna blame the star of the game
Or the no name girl in the freshman class


Pretty powerful stuff…

To finish, I want to include a funny Country and Western song by David Frizzell, called “Im Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate our Home “I think the message is self-explanatory! J

I came crawling home last night, like many nights before:
I finally made it to my feet as she opened up the door.
And she said, "You're not gonna do this anymore."

She said: "I'm gonna' hire a wino to decorate our home,
"So you'll feel more at ease here, and you won't have to roam.
"We'll take out the dining room table, and put a bar along that wall.
"And a neon sign, to point the way, to our bathroom down the hall."

She said: "Just bring your Friday paycheck, and I'll cash them all right here.
"And I'll keep on tap - for all your friends, their favorite kinds of beer.
"And for you, I'll always keep in stock, those soft aluminum cans.
"And when you're feeling macho, you can crush them like a man."

She said: "We'll rip out all the carpet, and put sawdust on the floor.
"Serve hard boiled eggs and pretzels, and I won't cook no more.
"There'll be Monday night football, on T.V. above the bar.
"And a pay phone in the hallway, when your friends can't find their car."

She said: "I'm gonna' hire a wino to decorate our home,
"So you'll feel more at ease here, and you won't have to roam.
"We'll take out the dining room table, and put a bar along that wall.
"And a neon sign, to point the way, to our bathroom down the hall."

She said: "You'll get friendly service, and for added atmosphere.
"I'll slip on something sexy, and I'll cut it clear to here.
"Then you can slap my bottom, every time you tell a joke.
"Just as long as you keep tipping, well, I'll laugh until you're broke."

She said: "Instead of family quarrels, we'll have a bar-room brawl,
"When the Ham's bear say's its closing time, you won't have far to crawl.
"And when you run out of money, you'll have me to thank.
"You can sleep it off next morning, when I'm putting it in the bank."

She said: "I'm gonna' hire a wino, to decorate our home,
"So you can feel more at ease here, and you won't have to roam.
"When you and your friends get off from work, and have a powerful thirst.
"There won't be any reason, why you can't stop off here first."

She said: "I'm gonna' hire a wino to decorate our home,
"So you'll feel more at ease here, and you won't have to roam.
"We'll take out the dining room table, and put a bar along that wall.
"And a neon sign, to point the way, to our bathroom down the hall."

 

Have a great week! And as the Ol’ Cowboy sayin’ goes..

”May your belly never grumble, may your heart never ache, may your horse never stumble, may your cinch never break!         



(Thanks to #zeusianfog for their metafilter blog entry about feminism and country music.) 

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"Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful source, filled with good instincts , passionate creativity, and ageless knowing." Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

7/3/2015

1 Comment

 
A twinkle of the eye, and wrinkles in a smile, hide wisdom and knowing in the furrows of an aging face. In researching the subject of today’s blog, and finding very little written about older women in general, I realized how undeserved the older woman has become. In fact, the majority of references I found were for dating sites and pornography!
I laugh because in my own experience, women become invisible after 50.

When I turned 50, it was my perception that in the street, I received less eye-contact; in shops, (especially fashion boutiques), I was ignored; in the Post Office, I was treated as a number, even though I had being going there for years. In my profession as a nurse,(a predominantly female profession,) when I turned 50 I found that amongst the younger generation of male physicians, I was often completely ignored for my opinion or my expertize, in favor of a younger and more attractive RN. I suppose you could put that factor down to chemistry, which really has no place in a professional setting, but it illustrates my point, which is, that aging women are considered less important.

Having said that, statistics are beginning to evolve, that counter that theory. Older women in the work place, in politics, in entertainment, in fashion, are deliberately exposing their presence and their value. Traditional patriotic practices and views are being gradually sculpted to include the older woman’s profile. The needs of older women to be represented and served in society have evolved from the proverbial Tupperware party in the fifties, to being major purchasers and consumers of significant worth. Such celebrities as Catherine Deneuve, Carmen Dell’Orefice, Tina Turner, Grace Jones and Whoopi Goldberg, have certainly made a huge positive impact on the perception of the older woman, in fashion and entertainment; and the media have begun to feature older models such as Jacky O’Shaughnessy, and Dafne Selfe.

Hilary Clinton, Sheikh Hasina Wajed: Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; President of Liberia, are formidable examples of powerful women in politics.

As an older woman, I find myself more assertive, more sure of myself, more confident, and less “mousy” than I was. I still enjoy dressing fashionably and slightly bohemian. I know that my legs are not as attractive as they were, and my body is starting to sag and stretch in directions that I never thought would happen. Yet, in some ways I am happier than I was too. What I held as important in my twenties holds less priority in my life now, and I still have ambition, although my goals are quite different. Yet Love, is as important now as it ever was. Love has many different faces, and has grown and evolved into a state of grace, which I try to extend in my everyday encounters, and in my efforts towards promoting peaceful social change. I do not feel any older, ( except in my joints…); my hopes and my aspirations are as vibrant as they ever were, but with more wisdom to guide them.  

Indeed I have come to agree that “Age has no reality except in the physical world. The essence of a human being is resistant to the passage of time. Our inner lives are eternal, which is to say that our spirits remain as youthful and vigorous as when we were in full bloom. Think of love as a state of grace, not the means to anything, but the alpha and omega; an end in itself.” 
Gabriel Garcia Marquez,  Love in the Time of Cholera

Of course, for many women, the representation of aging is less important than their actual experience of it. But in the face of all the noise about "the battle against ageing", there are many who struggle to accept their changing bodies even while they celebrate their growing contentment and changing attitudes.

 So I have picked a few poems to cheer you up, make you think, and to give older women more exposure as a subject in themselves. Not the most eloquent of writing available, but better than getting numerous references to pornography, when you type in the words “the beauty of older women “, or such, into the Google search engine….

 

The Old Gods
By Dannie Abse

The gods, old as night, don't trouble us.
Poor weeping Venus! Her pubic hairs are grey,
and her magic love girdle has lost its spring.
Neptune wonders where he put his trident.
Mars is gaga – illusory vultures on the wing.


Pluto exhumed, blinks. My kind of world, he thinks.
Kidnapping and rape, like my Front Page exploits
adroitly brutal – but he looks out of sorts when
other unmanned gods shake their heads tut tut,
respond boastingly, boringly anecdotal.


Diana has done a bunk, fearing astronauts.
Saturn, Time on his hands, stares at nothing and
nothing stares back. Glum Bacchus talks ad nauseam
of cirrhosis and small bald Cupid, fiddling
with arrows, can't recall which side the heart is.


All the old gods have become enfeebled,
mere playthings for poets. Few, doze or daft,
frolic on Parnassian clover. True, sometimes
summer light dies in a room – but only
a bearded profile in a cloud floats over.


Born in 1923 and brought up in Cardiff, Abse has published 14 books of poetry; much of his work draws on his Welsh roots and Jewish inheritance. His most recent collection is New Selected Poems 1949-2009.


 


The Password

by Anne Stevenson

Memory, intimate camera, inward eye,
Open your store, unlock your silicon
And let my name's lost surfaces file by.
What password shall I type to turn you on?


Is this the girl who bicycled to school
A cello balanced on her handlebars?
Shy, but agog for love, she played the fool
And hid her poems in the dark of drawers.


First love of music bred a love of art,
Then art a love of actors and their plays,
Then actors love of acting out a part,
Until she'd try on anything for praise.


Siphoned to England, she embraced her dream,
With Mr Darcy camped in Hammersmith,
Bathed in a kitchen tub behind a screen,
Pretending love was true and life a myth.


Waking with a baby on her hip,
Yeats in her shopping basket, here she is,
Thin as a blade and angry as a whip,
Weighing her gift against her selfishness.


Three husbands later, here she is again,
Opposed to her own defiance, breaking rules.
Not mad, not micro-waved American,
She trips on sense, and falls between two stools,


Finding herself at sixty on the floor,
With childhood's sober, under-table view
Of how in time love matters more and more.
Given a creeping deadline, what to do?


Look at the way her wild pretensions end.
One word, its vast forgiving coverage,
Validates all her efforts to defend
Every excuse she makes, and warms with age.


Stevenson, is an American writer and poet, born in 1933. She has lived in Britain for over 40 years and is the author of more than a dozen volumes of poetry, books of essays and literary criticism, a biography of Sylvia Plath and two studies of Elizabeth Bishop.

  “I had a dream about you. The seasons changed, but you did not. You were the same old person you always were, only older. And I was the same old person I always was, only younger. Yes, I’d discovered the Fountain of Youth, and since we were such old friends, I was going to let you have a swig for 10% off the suggested retail price.
” 

Jarod Kintz. We had a Dream about You

Old Flame
By Linda Chase

He turns my hand in his hand
as if to catch the light,
separating my fingers
to see my rings, one by one.
Questions and answers follow –
country, stones, when, from whom
and then my other hand
because this ritual has been
going on for fifty years
and there are no surprises,
as he counts the parts of me
and the decorations I choose.


But today I wear a bracelet
he has never seen before,
knowing that it's to his taste,
that it will spark new attention
beyond his routine inspection.
Between the larger stones,
sit dashes of orange abalone,
keeping spaces in between
irregular chunks of turquoise.
He fingers them around my wrist
and I'm a girl again, fluttering
through her jewelry and her life.


Chase, born in 1941, is an American poet, living in Manchester, where she set up the Poetry School



In her book, Women who Run with the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D., writes of the the Myths and stories of the Wild woman archetype, (a subject for a whole other blog.)...
 She tells us that "within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful source, filled with good instincts , passionate creativity, and ageless knowing."
She says that over time, the spiritual lands of the Wild Woman archetype have been plundered and spoiled into something unnatural to please others. 
She says, " we all began as a bundle of bones, lost somewhere in a desert, a dismantled skeleton that lies under the sand. it is our work to recover the parts. 
The Wild Woman is rising again. 
She is already having her Debut.....


Happy Independence weekend!



This is a picture of my Mother, Gillian Woodfield who inspired my next poem :
Picture
The Older Woman
by Susan Golden 





Her firm embrace shines a beam straight through my heart to hers.

I know she has known pain

Her years of experience show in her aura and her poise

as the stigmata of life bleeds from her wrinkled hands

Yet her style and grace hold upright and proud like a sunflower in full bloom

holding her face to the sun

Her womb, no longer fertile, still holds the seeds of time

Her buttery perfume fills the air calling the butterflies to her garden

filled with damask green and snowdrop pearls

Her tears water the Pandora of memories hidden under the soft blanket of moss

She releases my grasp and guides me to the aging gate

"From here, you must guide yourself my darling"


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1 Comment

    Susan Golden

    Born, raised and educated in Cornwall, England., Sue moved to America in 1981.
    After many years of life experience, her first bookof poetry for social change, is published. Available on iBooks.
     https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-moon-of-compassion/id892598396?mt=11

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