We are ever present

Photo by T. Chick McClure

Women are threatened for speaking their minds. Some people get scared. Some people want us to stay covered and quiet. Demure and unintrusive, we are asked to be humble, be gentle, feel happiness in slavery*. These oppressors are afraid of demanded changes.

Afraid of women raging against the dying of the light.

Women are people. We are your mothers, sisters, wives, lovers, friends, neighbors, and enemies. We are amazing. We are wiley, wicked, wise, and wonderful. We are the future, the past, the present.

Women deserve respect, equality, love. Women use their minds and powerful voices.

We are ever present.

Written for 100 Word Wednesday: Week 105

Inspired by the 2019 Womxn’s March

*Happiness in Slavery – NIN

Trent Reznor, always my favorite artist, is genius and captures the rage:

Slave screams he think he knows what he wants
Slave screams thinks he has something to say
Slave screams he hears but doesn’t want to listen
Slave screams he’s being beat into submission

Don’t open your eyes you won’t like what you see
The devils of truth steal the souls of the free
Don’t open your eyes take it from me
I have found
You can find
Happiness in slavery
Happiness in slavery

Slave screams he spends his life learning conformity
Slave screams he claims he has his own identity
Slave screams he’s going to cause the system to fall
Slave screams but he’s glad to be chained to that wall

Don’t open your eyes you won’t like what you see
The blind have been blessed with security
Don’t open your eyes take it from me
I have found
You can find
Happiness in slavery
Happiness in slavery
Happiness in slavery
Happiness in slavery
Happiness

I don’t know what I am I don’t know where I’ve been
Human junk just words and so much skin
Stick my hands through the cage of this endless routine
Just some flesh caught in this big broken machine

Happiness in slavery
Happiness in slavery
Happiness in slavery (slavery)
Happiness in slavery (slavery)
Happiness in slavery (slavery)
Happiness in slavery (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness
Happiness (slavery)
Happiness

Songwriters: Trent Reznor

Happiness in Slavery lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Digging back to my anger in youth, this may be a song you also related to:

Meredith Brooks – Bitch

I hate the world today
You’re so good to me
I know but I can’t change
Tried to tell you
But you look at me like maybe
I’m an angel underneath
Innocent and sweet

Yesterday I cried
Must have been relieved to see
The softer side
I can understand how you’d be so confused
I don’t envy you
I’m a little bit of everything
All rolled into one

I’m a bitch, I’m a lover
I’m a child, I’m a mother
I’m a sinner, I’m a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I’m your hell, I’m your dream
I’m nothing in between
You know you wouldn’t want it any other way

So take me as I am
This may mean
You’ll have to be a stronger man
Rest assured that
When I start to make you nervous
And I’m going to extremes
Tomorrow I will change
And today won’t mean a thing

Just when you think, you got me figured out
The season’s already changing
I think it’s cool, you do what you do
And don’t try to save me

I’m a bitch, I’m a tease
I’m a goddess on my knees
When you hurt, when you suffer
I’m your angel undercover
I’ve been numb, I’m revived
Can’t say I’m not alive
You know I wouldn’t want it any other way

Songwriters: Meredith Anne Brooks / Shelly M Peiken

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Have fun! I enjoy reading your challenge submissions!