This is the poem I’m reading in this photograph. It was taken during the 1984 filming of
“The Southern Sex, debunking the myth."
Unfortunately they only used the last two stanzas in the film. I wrote it before I had grown sons and
a wonderful husband. And yet, I
still do wonder. . .
This poem has to do with missed opportunity
and the labeling of women
who enjoy touch
just pure touch
as a whore and a slut
and I wonder
what do we call such men?
The night I was the woman in the red tights and black
mini dress
“Good girls don’t”
so I did
I’m tired of being a “good girl” all the time
It was six years ago
he was the star
and he asked me
me? I had thought
not that I wasn’t trying to be attractive
even a little sexy
so I smiled
and he invited me to dinner
then I started thinking
you know how men are
they only want one “thing”
and “good girls” don’t give “it” to them
even if they wanted to
and boy did I want to
but I said no
can you believe it?
I said no
I couldn’t
I just couldn’t
I mean
after all
what would my mother say
and the priest
or my husband
heaven forbid
they would all call me a whore
or even worse
a prostitute
what’s the difference?
a whore does it for fun
and a prostitute does it for money
you know
sorta as in
being married
and he works hard for the money
and she gives him the “they only want one thing” thing
so anyway
I had to say no
and I’ve regretted it all these years
what would it have been like? I wondered
you know how it is
when there is something you really want
and you imagine it
and fantasize it
and then one day
the opportunity actually presents itself
and you turn it down!
the pits!
so last week-end
there I was
nearing the possibility
that the opportunity might present itself
one more time
I really doubted it
I was six years older now
he would certainly be more interested in the younger women
I wore my red tights and black mini dress, anyway
and then he did
he asked me
this is it
this is the “moment you’ve been waiting for” moment
so say it
say yes
you know you want to
“You asked me that same question six years ago”
I reminded him
“And what was your answer then?” he asked
“I’d like to think you’d have remembered
if my answer had been yes”
I told him and I knew then where I was headed
so say it
say yes
you know you want to
“I don’t have any birth control,” I said instead
and he did
“I didn’t shave my legs”
“No problem”
so say it
just go ahead and say it
say yes
you know you want to
so I did
I said yes
yes
I want to
I want to be a whore
and touch
just pure touch
no dinner
no drinks
just touch.
(c)1984
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