March is Women’s History Month
I Like To Think of Harriet Tubman
by Susan Griffin
(from Images of Women In Literature, fourth edition
Edited by Mary Anne Ferguson copyright 1986)
I like to think of Harriet Tubman.
Harriet Tubman who carried a revolver,
who had a scar on her head from a rock through
by a slave-master (because she
talked back), and who
had a ransom on her head
of thousands of dollars and who
was never caught, and who
had no use for the law
when the law was wrong,
who defied the law, I like
to think of her.
I like to think of her especially
when I think of the problem of
feeding children.
The legal answer
to the problem of feeding children
is ten free lunches every month,
being equal, in the child’s real life,
to eating lunch every other day.
Monday, but not Tuesday.
I like to think of the President
eating lunch Monday, but not
Tuesday.
And when I think of the President
and the law, and the problem of
feeding children, I like to
think of Harriet Tubman
and her revolver.
And then sometimes
I think of the President
and other men,
men who practice the law,
who revere the law,
who make the law,
who enforce the law
who live behind
and operate through
and feed themselves
at the expense of
starving children
because of the law,
men who sit in paneled offices
and think about vacations
and tell women
whose care it is
to feed children
not to be hysterical
not to be hysterical as in the word
hysterikos, the greek for
womb suffering,
not to suffer in their wombs,
not to care,
not to bother the men
because they want to think
of other things
and do not want
to take the women seriously.
I want them
to take women seriously
I want them to think about Harriet Tubman,
and remember,
remember she was beat by a white man
and she lived
and she lived to redress her greivances
and she lived in swamps
and wore the clothes of a man
bringing hundreds of fugitives from
slavery, and was never caught,
and led an army,
and won a battle,
and defied the laws
because the laws were wrong, I want men
to take us seriously.
I am tired of wanting them to think
about right and wrong.
I want them to fear.
I want them to feel fear now
as I have felt suffering in the womb, and
I want them
to know
that there is always a time
there is always a time to make right
what is wrong,
there is always a time
for retribution
and that time
is beginning.
The African American and their his/herstory with Missionaries.
It is Women’s History Month and I am going to be exploring women’s stories. I am also going to examine how women are stereotyped in literature as well as day to day life. Some of the stereotypes concerning women are The wife, The mother, The woman on a pedestal, The sex object and sexual politics,women without men, the young girl, the educated woman. and the lady. Women as feminists have been appearing since the nineteen seventies. Feminist literature shows fully human women as fully self-aware and autonomous as a man. This has been really a new way for society and all of its aspects to see feminist women. We will find women of the past and present, rich and poor that can still find a way to link to your heart. Feminist writers are creating language to express their insights, and images. Women are becoming and it is a glorious adventure.
Fundamental human values.
idealisticrebel 
Fantastic, Barbara! I love it. Look forward to hearing those stories… 🙂
Thanks I am excited to do this. Hugs, Barbara
I hope you have had time to read some of them. Hugs my friend, Barbara
Wow, that was a great poem. I had not read it before, but it makes me proud to be a woman.
I am glad you enjoyed it. Hugs, Barbara
Hugs! Hope you are feeling better!
We all need to be proud what we do in our lives as women. Hugs, Barbara
Barbara, with was a wonderful poem I am so pleased you shared it.. Women have been suppressed, ill-treated and subjugated to injustice throughout history… So looking forward to your posts Barbara.. Hugs Sue xox
I hope the posts have not disappointed. Hugs, Barbara
Tubman is a true Shero. I agree with Griffin, the time is now. Great post.
Thanks. Did you read today’s about a woman named Martha Ballard?
Thank you for your kind words. Hugs, Barbara
Hi Barbara, Just wanted to thank you for reposting my blog An Old Fashioned Apple Pudding. I got so many likes after you did! You are most kind!!! I look forward to hearing how you liked my latest blog when you have time. Have fun on your visit and be well and safe on your jouurney. Love and Blessings, Tasha
Just saying HI:) How ya doing girlfriend? Think about you all the time. Hope all is well. Hugs.
I am good my friend. Thank you for stopping by. Take care of you. Hugs, Barbara
[…] not as though the man approved of paper money in the first place. And I think Harriet Tubman (… and her revolver) is a great role model. Like Gail Collins, I think “A Woman’s Place Is on the […]
Hey Lady,
I thought you disappeared forever. Glad to hear from you. I knew I’d publish something you liked again; even if it isn’t mine.
I figured I had published something that offended. I lost a few over my opinions about the Police in America but I hold to my stance.
Anyway; I hope to see you around. Stop by anytime.
I am here, moving in June to NC. So life is busy. But though I may miss some days from time to time I am here and still opening my mouth. Hugs, Barbara
Hello Barbara lovely to see you again! xxx
Reblogged this on Truth Troubles: Why people hate the truths' of the real world.
She and Sojourner Truth are two of the many brave women I know or wish I had known. Hugs, Barbara
Africa was a rich rich country full of wealth and the white come years ago sI the white
fool them so they can they take all the wealth Africa have so when they did that they put the africans to work on slavery so now Africa don’t habe anything left. That’s why Africa I’s poor and even no one wants to help them because there black.:(
I had the privilege of marching with The RIGHT HONORABLE Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when I was a child. It greives me that we had come so far only to be shoved so FAR BACK in the fight for Equal RIGHTS and RESPECT for ALL RACES, ETHNICITIES, AND GENDERS…. I CAN ONLY PRAY that HIS DREAM….. OUR DREAMS…. THE DREAMS OF ALL TRUE LOVERS OF AMERICA AND HER PEOPLES. WILL FLOWER SOMEDAY INTO THE GARDEN IT SHOULD BE.
I had the pleasure to pass out get out the vote pamphlets for JFK as a pre-teen. This was a highlight of my life. I am seventy two now and I still miss him. Soomeday, I will write about him.