I want you to tell them all I was crazy
Let me put it in words they can understand.
Tell them I was too sensitive and couldn't take a joke;
Leave out that you do not regard women as equals,
And will curse those who did not respect the cross on your neck.
Tell them all I was unstable,
Because when you held my past against my throat I did not fear your knife.
I am the child in front of King Solomon.
And I am the mother who loves him.
I welcome loneliness rather than being split in half.
Proclaim loudly that I am the whore of Babylon
While being bitter that I am not the Mary who will undress for you.
(Do not tell them you expect both
Because you have not sinned in this scenario .)
Let them know I was unwilling to compromise and asked too many questions
Without mentioning your stalwart nature
Because "You're just being honest."
And I've no right to contradict.
Like Lot's wife in the bible, I am not worthy of a name,
And should be punished for my curiosity.
Remind them I took my politics too seriously
Since for you it was neither here nor there.
Omit that yours were hobby while mine were survival.
Just like Lilith I was too outspoken
And you think no one should remember me anyway.
Forget not to mention you fought for our freedom,
With scripture stained upon your back.
Do not remind them I fought for myself on a battlefield at home.
Don't admit to them that Eve ate the apple to gain knowledge. Pretend it had everything to do with Adam.
Since sluts will do anything to ruin a man.
You will be sure to always remind me:
Mary Magdalene was just a whore.
How could I be anything more?
About the Creator
Helen Seder
Art doesn’t need to be “good.” It just needs to be.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Keep reading
More stories from Helen Seder and writers in Poets and other communities.
Vocal & my relationship to publishing traditionally
Ever since my small writing beginnings, when I started writing on Vocal in February 2021, I had been in a truly terrible slump & funk when it came to my writing. I had so many unfinished projects, ideas, half finished manuscripts and first chapters that were going nowhere.
By Melissa Ingoldsby3 days ago in Motivation
Comments (3)
This is brilliant! I love the dichotomy of women from ancient Biblical scripture and modern language. It perfectly depicts that everything and nothing has changed. So many advancements, yet we’re still viewing women through the same lens. It’s outrageous how much I relate to this poem and the ideas hurled at me as a woman when it’s a common interpretation of supposedly sacred texts. I would say reading this made me angry—but I was already angry, and I don’t trust anyone who isn’t.
Powerful. And full of allusions—love it!
Whoaaaa, this was extremely powerful! I love this so much!