They ask me,
man or bear,
as though the danger
lies in the choosing,
not in entering
the woods.
They tell me
a man can be safe.
I married one.
He led me
deep into the woods
where every path
ended with my apology
for his hands around my neck.
All the bears
I have known
lived in stories.
One taught me
I could prevent forest fires
as if trees were all that burned.
Another, sweet as honey,
reminded me
I was brave
without making me
prove it.
So when they ask
man or bear,
I ask
why is everyone
so determined
to send women
into the woods?
Stop asking which danger I choose.
Ask me
how I found
my way
out.
I recently saw a newer video regarding the man or bear question in which the creator (taking on two roles) was asking what each were doing in the woods so she could determine which choice was better.
Not sure if this is quite working yet.
If the bear were Winnie-the-Pooh, I am choosing Winnie!
About the Creator
Tina D. Lopez
I’m just a human trying to make it in this world. I write about heartbreak, loneliness, longing, anger, family—all the things I can’t seem to leave alone. Everything I write is about me, even when it’s about someone else.
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