“You’re not very nice to men”
my mother and sister said
over conversation and dinner.
They say, if I carry on this way,
I will be alone forever.
Maybe it’s just my humour.
And not everybody gets it.
Besides, I tell men at bars to fuck off
and they seem to find it attractive.
My sister will tell them,
“She is a psycho, you know?”
Hoping they will leave me alone
but, instead, they pull out their phones.
I have never wanted to change
the way that I speak.
But I am no longer sure this is
a choice that belongs to me.
The parts I like about myself
get tarnished once a man
takes a liking to them as well.
Why must they steal my personality
when they already own everything else?
So I try to be kinder.
Stick around longer
when I just want to leave.
Assume their intentions
are not what their brothers
have allowed me to believe.
Unlearn all of the lessons
that I was taught by society.
Try to be a good feminist
without getting angry.
I want to be friendly
and I want to be kind.
But I do not want my kindness
to be some rapist’s alibi.
And they’ll ask me why.
Why did I stay?
Why did I speak?
Why did I smile?
Why didn’t I leave?
Why was I there
at that time of day?
Because we can no longer state
that harassment only lives
in the night.
On a Monday morning
I have feared for my life.
Well-lit streets will only shine light
on the crime that continues to live
long after we die.
Our ancestors. Our sisters.
Our girls to come.
Fighting a battle
that is not ours to be won.
Because we are not the problem.
So why must we be the solution?
Fix your men. Fix the system.
Stop trying to fix the women.
You lengthen our hemlines
and cover our chests.
So offended by what keeps you fed.
Addicted to pornography
but call us all whores.
Fighting with yourself
but make it our war.
Say, “This may be a man’s world
but, darling, it would be nothing
without a woman or a girl.”
Our existence gives you hierarchy.
For without women there
would be no patriarchy.
I tell my mother and sister
that I would rather be alone forever
than be a placeholder
in a man’s world
any longer.
About the Creator
Katerina Petrou
Combining my passions of travelling, food, poetry and photography, I welcome you to read my stories.
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Comments (23)
Fab poetry congratulations on TS
wow just wow!! you represent the wonderful lesson in just few lines. I am a new story writer and I would really appreciate if you read and give some advice to me related to my articles
Absolutely amazing and sadly, so true too. I feel like this needs to be posted in every public place, school, and workplace to remind everyone about the war so many like to forget exists.
Loved this. The passion and the foresight. And it deserves to be read out loud, so loved that too.
A great piece of writing with a much-needed message! Well done for the top story!
This is beautiful. Also, there are so many truths in this. So many of the issues you bring up are part of why I don't have a lot of male friends
Congrats on the Top Story! I love how strong this poem is. The rhythm of all the lines, especially, "But I do not want my kindness / to be some rapist’s alibi" is amazing. You reading it was a cool touch too.
I love men, I know there are many good ones, despite having issues in my past before. I understand deeply your plight. Very well written with such a viscerally raw approach
Wow, this is perfect and sooooo true!! Great job!
Beautiful poem! Describes the harsh reality so accurately. The wordings are such perfection.
This article is a valuable contribution to the ongoing dialogue about gender dynamics and respect in interpersonal relationships. great work.
Nailed it! 🙌
That list of "whys" flows so well. This poem calls to mind the current conversation about the "men's loneliness epidemic" as though it's women's job to solve it, while there is an epidemic of violence against women that we are encouraged to handle quietly and by ourselves. Congrats on top story!
Everyone else has already said it, but wow this is powerful.
This is quite powerful, and I thank you for including the video of your reading!
well done, very powerful
So, so important and powerfully worded.
This reads so well! Slam!
Wow this was beautifully written! Side-note, I have a friend, he's single, hint hint 🤭
I loved the flow of this piece so much Excellent message too
What a pointed poem. I really like the rhythm and the rhyme.
Thank you for the interesting and delicious content. Follow my story now.
"This may be a man’s world but, darling, it would be nothing without a woman or a girl" hehe lovely ideas. Nicely done it.