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Wake up, Little Girl I wish someone had chanted To me so long ago. You will be up against forces Whose roots delve beneath All your surfaces. Forces so deeply entrenched Your choices will not be entirely yours. Society applies pressure From a thousand places. Wake up, Young Lady I only began to say To my daughter recently Men who look at us scornfully Cannot come into our beds. Their subtle disdain Breaks us ever so Little by little. If we allow those men in our beds Our sons will choose us too The cycle will never end. Wake up, Woman When we allow Unconscious dismissiveness And scorn, we allow Society to have a stranglehold On half its strength. Wake Up, Old Lady My daughter has recently Begun to say to me It is your turn now, Ma. Wake up!
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