Sunday, May 1, 2016

SILAS OLA ABAYOMI


SILAS
OLA ABAYOMI
YESTERDAY WOMAN

Before now she was seen
but never heard,
because the man of yesterday,
confined her to the triangular
roles of a homemaker,
sex-object of happiness, and
biological and social duties of
nursing, nurturing, and
raising mankind’s tomorrow.

Behind the shadows of man
she had lain,
under society’s socio-cultural
blanket she was hidden;
at town or public square,
someone had to speak for her,
every time someone had to
act on her behalf.

At the mercy of a man
she lived,
rather than residing in
main house with her male
counterpart,
in courtyard she was kept.

Waiting on the instruction and
command of infallible man,
expecting the sanctimonious
call from immaculate, and
larger-than-life,
second-in-command to
Supreme Being.

Woman of yesterday,
many were her plights and
many were the rights
she was denied;
education-right to learn,
write, read, and communicate
properly,
she was denied on a
flimsy excuse of low
mental ability.

Economic empowerment,
society made it look very evil to
her,
secular job society would
never offer her.

Property she could never own,
her body she had no control upon,
inheritance-from both homes-
birthplace and matrimonial,
she could never lay claim.

Under abusive relationship
she had neither a voice nor
a choice,
even when society hurt her,
justice she could barely get.

Her portions were unjust and
harsh cultural practices,
her take home were leftovers,
or residuals,
man-made-religious-dogmas
to demand and to command
obedience from her without
question.
Yesterday woman,
male-dominated society
turned bovine and zombie,
milk of kindness flowing in
her mind,
son of Adam drank dry;
her personality,
male-controlled society
turned mechanical.

Her complementary roles
mankind turned to
force labor and slavery,
her supportive roles,
good-for-nothing-
son of Adam used
against her.

Her social and biological duties,
son of mankind over tasked,
her-willing-and-helpful-heart
humankind terribly abused.

Even though, she lived with
man in the society,
at the fringe or borderline she
was confined;
whenever she questioned
“why this,”
answers she would never get,
anytime she challenged,
she was called a rebel.





Anytime she protested,
society punished her,
at any moment she called for
a change,
a martyr she would  become.

For centuries she lived in
cocoon,
from one extremity of
the earth to another,
story was same,
but for her tenacity,
perseverance, and
determination to be free,
woman of yesterday fought
several battles.

Today she is FREE.
Free from Oppression
Released from Slavery
Equal Treatment she enjoys
with male folk,
Equality before law,
she has now.






THE WOMAN OF TODAY

Yesterday, from the background
she lay,
today, she has a loud voice
heard by everyone far and wide;
change, yes, change has pulled her
out of cocoon mankind put her,
change has redefined her roles.

Rights once denied,
she enjoys now,
freedom and liberty that
stood miles away from her
in the past,
now live in her courtyard.

Fear, subservience, and
spare wheel,
the sinking millstone of
yesterday,
benevolent change has
removed from her neck.

Education she possess now,
knowledge and power from it,
she maximizes to climb social,
economic, and political ladders.

Her roles Change keeps
modifying and redefining from
ancient triangular duties to
a dual role of a homemaker and
a builder.


Partners in political and
economic engineering
she plays without restriction or
condition,
as male-dominated-world
continues to crumble;
interestingly, gender-defined
duties are now replaced by
non-sex roles, or
gender-neutral jobs.

By means of her,
new vistas are opened
every day,
vistas to view new challenges;
challenges that create opportunities,
opportunities that keep gentrifying
human society for good.

Her place in affairs of humankind
has become an added value
to roles and duties previously
rendered only by man;
like salt-the sweetener-role
she plays and her presence
like ginger,
the preservative.

She has become a spice,
which makes life more active
and enjoyable,
like roses she beautifies other
flowers in the garden making
them radiant and aglow.



A bridge across ocean,
today’s woman has become,
yesterday’s arid or patched
land,
she has made wetland and
oasis of hope,
as she takes a commanding lead
in politics, economy, technology,
leadership, education, advocacy,
human rights, and justice.

Daily, today’s woman keeps
elevating and raising the
standards in public square,
calling to question-
an open or a blank check-
society gave to man of yesterday
without a Promissory Note.

Shall we say thanks to the
Change that brought
changes to affairs of man?
Whichever way, let humankind
say thanks to the Change that
discovered you,
let humankind say thanks to
positive changes your
partnership has fetched
homosapien.

Let the world of humankind
say: a big welcome to
the
“Woman of Today.”
SILAS OLA ABAYOMI




1 comment :

  1. I truly appreciate the heart of your poetry. You have painted a picture, with your words, drawing out the true beauty of a woman; from a place of human bondage to a place of triumphant freedom.

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