This poem called I’m Not was prompted by reading an article which talked about how the ‘DICK’tionary had many words that only described women in derogatory terms, terms which had no matching male counterparts.
I’m not a bitch
A bag, a nag or a hag
Not a ho, a crone
Or a witch.
I’m not a servant
Or a piece,
A little woman
Or a filly to be ridden
Or even a frilly girly.
Not a mistress, a madam
Or even a dominatrix.
Not a bint or a cat,
A harridan, a baggage
Or a cow.
A lady, a babe or baby
A pet, a duck
Or a piece of fluff.
I’m none of these things
So yet,
Why am I demeaned, undervalued?
Often not seen?
Sometimes handled, petted and touched
I’m not an object
A slave or a slag
A slattern, a doll or a trollop.
Neither a bit of stuff,
A trout or a tart
A jade, a shrew or a harpy,
I’m not a silly goose or a chit
A bimbo, a bird or a honey,
Neither a skank a twat or a cunt.
Although I do possess one of those
It’s fair to say.
But I’m more than that,
Not a piece of ass,
A scrubber, a frump
Or a fox.
I’ll shout it loud and clear
To ensure you hear.
I’m none of the above.
I chose
not to be dependent
Or beholding
Or an appendage as
A wo-MAN,
A fe-MALE,
Or per-SON.
I have a name
Which I own and accept
So, use some respect.
No pet names
Diminutives or
Otherwise reducing,
Minimising or denying,
My right to be who
I AM.