Poetry Writing Radio

Woman – so far – in 4 passages

Learn to interrupt. – Madeleine Albright to her women students

Then
Denied promotion for questioning the powerful.
Fired for speaking truth to power.
Fired for having "Too much power."
Warned by the man in power: “Stop shooting from the hip.”
Rebuked for asking for a raise: “Be grateful you have this journalism job.”
Rejected by a Master’s journalism program for low GRE math scores.
Shamed: "You will never qualify to own a home."
Rebuffed: “You will never afford to retire.”
Admonished at 67: "Aren't you too old to start a doctoral program?"
Questioned at 70: What do you mean you're a dancer?"

Each denial, firing, warning, rebuke, rejection, shaming,

rebuff, admonishment, questioning was wounding, sometimes

paralyzing. Sometimes sent me to bed.

Eventually
Promoted. The ‘powerful’ was fired.
Continued. “I'll stop when you tell men to do the same.” He ceased fire.
Compensated. Received equal pay at a newspaper of record.
Awarded Gracie award recorded in studio where I had “too much power.”
Earned a doctorate.

Penned a book about creating and leading equitable schools.

Now
Choose work I want to do.
Write these words in the sunlit home that I own.
Dance the work of choreographers I have long admired.

Ongoing
Supporting women to claim space and voice.

Recover more quickly from discourtesies.

– Linda Belans, at 79. August, 2024