Standing at Last

 
 
I live in a world where it seems every day,  
Women are not allowed to be on display,
For if they dare - they can expect this much,
Wolf whistles cat calling or 'an innocent touch',
 
Why do we live in this persistent bubble?
And be made to feel like we're stirring up trouble
And that we should be grateful to be winked at by man,
Honked at and drooled at whilst driving his van,
Or go to a club for a dance and a drink,
And be groped at and thrust at and pushed to the brink -
Yet it's me, the one who is given abuse,
'Just a joke - you're just frigid, let's go find someone loose'
And to you this might not seem a big deal,
But at the end of the day you're the one coppin' a feel,
 
So here's to the driving instructor who kept brushing my leg,
No it wasn't funny when you joked about taking me to bed,
I laughed at the time to keep us at ease,
When really I thought what a dirty old sleaze,
 
I remember it well, mum told me a story,
I apologise now if it seems kinda gory,
Forced into pain, blood, tears and a struggle all go hand in hand,
When you marry a man and try taking a stand,
Excuses she made when I used the word rape,
No, not rape it can't be, we were bound by a ring,
It's not rape - surely that isn't a thing,
 
Looking back, I don't fully understand -
the circumstances we are put into by man's wandering hand,
And why we all just let it pass us by,
Let it become the norm - no! Can we at least try?
 
It's not okay, we can take a stand,
That's not to say men are contraband,
But speak up and out so we can squash this behaviour,
For today is the day that you become your own saviour