In Her heydays
When power she could sway
She said “Boys will be boys”
When her son looked up the skirt.
When he stabbed the family cat.
When he slapped his sister for disobeying him.
In Her heydays
When power she could sway
She said “Girls ought to be like Girls”
Encouraging her daughter to act coy
Never to oppose the authority of the Male
Never to speak her mind, leave alone act on it.
In Her heydays
She let the son explore freedom with Freedom
She arrested her daughter with Honor
Son, the Heir, here to stay;
Daughter, the Honor, to give away.
In the Now.
She watches her life’s work unravel
As the Heir imprisons Honor,
In the name of freedom
She inherits the prison and loses Her honor.