Who will believe thee, Isabel? ~ Angelo in Measure for Measure, by William Shakespeare
It is the fate of Woman
tHat few blame a man
if One seduces her.
When her belly expands
even due to rape, It’s true—
some say she tempted the Lout
untiL he gave in.
She may report him, But may
want to hidE
from ugLy words,
protect her reputatIon
from attack by thosE who always
say how aVidly a woman
will chasE
and Try her Adam. A woman
wHo
aspirEs to do good
Each day, and
lIve contentedly.
What then Should she do?
WhAt would you do—
turn your Back,
on hEr
or Listen and give her justice?
Wilda Morris, Workshop Chair of Poets and Patrons of Chicago and a past President of the Illinois State Poetry Society, has published numerous poems in anthologies, webzines, and print publications. She has published two books of poetry, Szechwan Shrimp and Fortune Cookies: Poems from a Chinese Restaurant (RWG Press) and Pequod Poems: Gamming with Moby-Dick (Kelsay Books). Her current projects are a book of poems riffing off science facts and theories, and a collection of poems playing with Shakespeare’s words. Wilda’s grandchildren say she lives in a library. Her poetry blog at wildamorris.blogspot.com features a monthly poetry contest.