Poem by Caitlyn Plover ‘25
do you ever feel held back by a perfect medium? by expectation? by barriers?
that you’re always walking a line- not because you want to
but because that’s what you’ve been told?
because that’s the image you’ve seen?
because they tell you that as a woman,
you can only go so far. as a woman,
you can only strive so high. as a woman,
you can only be so ambitious, so driven, so full of zeal and ideal,
but only so-
because to be too much of those things would break the mold;
and then what would they say?
when he’s scathing, it’s fine, rightfully so-
but when I am, I’m a madwoman.
when he speaks up, good for him, let him talk-
but when I do, I should be silenced.
when he takes charge, he’s a leader-
but when I do it, I am bossy, I am overbearing, I’m a pushover,
as if my empowerment is a curse.
but there’s a catch.
for all the gaslighting and the manipulation,
and the harassment and mansplaining,
the backhanded compliments, and the condescension.
there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,
the centuries-long tunnel that our foremothers fought through,
the tunnel that we today are still fighting in.
and what is that light, you ask?
why, that’s the future.
that’s you.
so take that promise and run with it
and smash those glass ceilings.
Comments