Now Is Not the Time for Silence

I will not be a pawn

in a parade of penis’s,

or submit because

a book of men

arrowed me to an apple.

How bitter must a woman’s

heart become that she would

wound her gender to please

the dark eye of patriarchy?

I am a woman, mother of life,

and daughter of Mother Earth.

The man who walks with me

does not brag of ribs or dominance.

He values my strength and compassion,

and sits with me at the table of wisdom

so we may support one another

in love, life, and accord.

Now is not the time for silence.

If we don’t speak for ourselves,

who do you think will?

Women and men who love us

and support our equality know

when oppression is given free reign

it won’t stop at gender.

If freedom is given only to a few,

it isn’t freedom. Tomorrow

depends on today. May we rise

to build a world where our children

won’t suffer from our failure.

©Susie Clevenger 2019

Real Toads ~ Being a Woman in Times Like These

When the Ladder Has No Rungs

The water is muddy

and prayers make no sound.

Dying feels easy when

the world is saying drown.

Oh, where is mercy?

Where are dreams

when blaming owns tongues?

Too little is too late

when the ladder has no rungs.

It’s hard treading muddy water

with a sin tag on your shoulder.

Dying feels easy when

the world is saying drown.

©Susie Clevenger 2019

Today I had a conversation with a young woman on a Facebook comment. I didn't know her, but she responded to my comment about being a recovering Southern Baptist. Her words broke my heart. 

These are her words:  "I was on the wrong side of being Southern Baptist. They don't take too kindly to us gays, lol. But for real, growing up gay in a Southern Baptist church was traumatic.

I STILL consider suicide because I'm gay thanks to the shit my family says to me. Thanks to the shit "Christians" say to me. I LEGIT want to die because I'm gay. It's super lonely when you love people and a God that DON'T love you back." 

I told her I cared, because I do. You would have to be heartless to not feel the pain in her words. She will always have a place in my heart.

Real Toads ~ Just One Word ~ Muddy

Mud and Blood

Eli Edward Evangelidis (2018)

The calendar announced spring,

but the sky didn’t bring a bounty of green.

The heartland is mud and blood

loss and flood … amber waves unseeded.

In the valley of misery politics budgets war,

gives dimes to poor, and high fives the religion of division.

Even when the sky turns blue few notice the hue,

because they’re sorting through calamity fearing the next tragedy.

©Susie Clevenger 2019

Real Toads ~ Art Flash/55

 

Denial Legislates

“A few of us are going out after work to pretend it’s not the end of the world,

if you want to join us.” Quote from New Yorker cartoon

There's a river in my kitchen,
swamp at my back door
(denial legislates - earth revolts).
If I can get government out of my uterus,
we can go out for a drink and ignore
our ice is straight outta Flint.

©Susie Clevenger 2019
For those who don't know, Flint, Michigan's water is dangerously polluted.

Real Toads ~ Poetic Irony

Scarlet Gaslight

The Dystopian Tarot, The Lovers

Kerry O'Connor

Go ahead, tempt me.

I like to cross the scarlet line

apple stained with reasons

I shouldn’t dance with the devil.

Really? He was the snake
 who told me a tree was a gaslight

to fool me a book of ribs

wasn't already being planned

to write me into submission.

 ©Susie Clevenger 2019

Real Toads ~ Art Flash

Here is the link to Kerry O'Conner's Beautiful Art

Because You Scriptured Me

"I had a one-way ticket to a place where all the demons go

Where the wind don't change

And nothing in the ground can ever grow

No hope, just lies

And you're taught to cry into your pillow

But I survived"  Alive ~ Sia

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When did the joy

of my heart become

your right to legislate?

I am counted among

those you’ve assigned

damnation because

a book of men scriptured

me vile.

Does ink and interpretation

mean more than life?

Does an attempt to break me

into your identity elevate

you in the eyes of God

or is it the throne of men

you cherish?

FREEDOM …

Will you deny mine

so your pulpit can

espouse yours?

©Susie Clevenger 2019

#NaPoWriMo2019

This poem is my response to Texas Senate Bill 17 recently approved by the Texas senate. This is personal for me. It effects family and friends. I understand if you have a different opinion, but I will not debate it. 

Real Toads ~ Asking Questions

Devil's Comedy

The forest floor sprouts angel wings:

the devil's attempt at comedy.

©Susie Clevenger 2019

#NaPoWriMo2019

Supposedly edible/recent years deadly

Real Toads ~ Toni's Prompt