poems and prose - woman's perspective
A Writer
I did plain work.
I did ordinary work.
You left school at 14
You had to get a job.
I’d like to have learned
About the world.
I have a notion to write.
When I was at school
I liked the stories.
I’d have had children
And I’d have been writing.
I’d have written about the world.
What was going on
And what I saw.
I’d like to have been a writer.
I think that would be nice.
To sit down and to write down.
Betsy Smith
Waiting Tables
I worked for years
Waiting tables.
There’s a lot of fly men came in.
What are you doing tonight, they’d say.
Doing all right without your company, I’d say.
It was late when you finished your work.
There might be one of them waiting.
I’ll walk with you, he’d say.
I don’t need anyone to walk with me, I’d say.
I know where I’m going
And I’m going without your help.
There’s the ones who’d call you ‘dear’.
Don’t ‘dear’ me, I’d say.
There’s the ones who’d say
Will you marry me darling.
They’d put their hand on you.
I’d rather be shot and poisoned, I’d say.
That’s a good answer, isn’t it!
There’s men who’s men.
The others are out for what they can get.
You need to have your wits about you.
You need to have your answers ready.
Lizzie Jennings
Freedom
There’s a lot of women going about now
With haversacks on their backs.
That’s the way to be.
The houseworking is:
I’ll not bother,
Not even tomorrow.
They have freedom.
A song and a tune.
Jean Paterson