This Female Body – A Trijan Refrain Poem

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Born into this female body
So sweet was my first cry
I should have screamed like a banshee
For no princess was I
It may not seem my role in life
But fate has lead me to this strife
It may not seem
It may not seem
My strength and persistence is rife

Born into this female body
But told it’s not my own
I primp and starve and stare blankly
And let your seed be sown
I know you think I chose this role
But I hate not having control
I know you think
I know you think
But you don’t know what’s in my soul

Born into this female body
I vote for my free will
I am more than breast, womb, booty
My voice is loud and shrill
Listen to me – I’ll not abide
It is your turn to be denied
Listen to me
Listen to me
I won’t let you push me aside

This is a new poetry form I am trying – it’s called a Trijan Refrain. I discovered it through LadyLeeManila’s blog with her poem “On My Red Bike”. I was intrigued by the repeating refrain and the rhyme and meter constraints, so decided to try it out.

Jamie Dedes at The Poet By Day, inspired the topic for this Trijan Refrain. Her challenge was to write a poem about what it would be like if women and girls were seen everywhere as “being fully human”. I don’t know if I have fully captured the scope of this challenge. I do know that women are needed to use their voices and their votes to stop the reversal of rights and advances that our foremothers worked so hard to secure for us in the United States. I also believe, that around the world, uplifting women improves their lives as well as that of their families and communities.

I have often wondered what the world would be like if women did truly rule the world, on their terms, not those stipulated by our current patriarchal society. The role of women have been erased throughout history and today, women have been reduced to the role of hidden helper, silent supporter or thing-to-be-objectified. Is it because they are afraid if we regain our power, we will show how brightly we shine and fear getting burned with our brilliance?

16 thoughts on “This Female Body – A Trijan Refrain Poem”

  4. I truly do like this poem and all that it tells of the human spirit. We cannot choose into which gender it is that we are born and some, like yourself, are born into the spirit of running, of competing and the determination to stick with it. I admire that. I am now a great grandmother and being in acceptance and compliance with social norms when you are born into a working class family was paramount. Only now that I am past so much have I decided to step forward (in my own way) and try to change something of what my choices were. I thank you for liking my write on Jamie’s site. I commend you for all that you do. I, myself, have 5 adult children, 13 grands and in June it will be 7 great grands. Who would have thought. If I had chosen to not make choices based on someone else’s expectations how life would have been. I do love them all, though. Be well.

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    • Hello Renee! Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment. I agree – we cannot choose the gender or ethnicity or skin color or family or social class or location or time period we are born into. And a lot of how our life turns out depends on these factors that we can’t control. But like yourself, there comes a time when we are able to control some of these factors and it is up to us to decide whether we will stay with what we know or be brave and venture into something different. I’m glad you’ve chosen a different path now that you are able! Congratulations on all your kids and grandkids and great grand kids! How wonderful to have such a big family!

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