e.e. wilholt - I Want/To Hide

I want
To hide
From the heavy
Hand of violence.
I want
To hide
From men
Inflicting wounds,
I want
To hide
From the vile
Poison of woman-hatred.

You
Who keep me
From reaching out,
You
Keep us
Hiding, in fear-inflected
Roles.
You
Beat me
Beat the children
Beat the battered
Women—wives and mothers
Hiding, cowed in shelters.

You
Keep us
Fear-ridden,
Riddled with bruises,
You
Keep me down.


***

e.e. wilholt

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-want-to-hide/