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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ADVICE GRATIS TO CERTAIN WOMEN, BY A WOMAN, by PHOEBE CARY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: O, my strong-minded sisters, aspiring to vote Last Line: You can cease to be babies, nor try to be men! Subject(s): Women's Rights; Feminism | |||
By a Woman O, my strong-minded sisters, aspiring to vote, And to row with your brothers, all in the same boat, When you come out to speak to the public your mind, Leave your tricks, and your airs, and your graces behind! For instance, when you by the world would be seen As reporter, or editor (first-class, I mean), I think -- just to come to the point in one line -- What you write will be finer, if 'tis not too fine. Pray, don't let the thread of your subject be strung With "golden," and "shimmer," "sweet," "filter," and "flung;" Nor compel, by your style, all your readers to guess You've been looking up words Webster marks obs. And another thing: whatever else you may say, Do keep personalities out of the way; Don't try every sentence to make people see What a dear, charming creature the writer must be! Leave out affectations and pretty appeals; Don't "drag yourself in by the neck and the heels," Your dear little boots, and your gloves; and take heed, Nor pull your curls over men's eyes while they read. Don't mistake me; I mean that the public's not home, You must do as the Romans do, when you're in Rome; I would have you be womanly, while you are wise; ' Tis the weak and the womanish tricks I despise. On the other hand: don't write and dress in such styles As astonish the natives, and frighten the isles; Do look, on the platform, so folks in the show Needn't ask, "Which are lions, and which tigers?" you know! 'Tis a good thing to write, and to rule in the state, But to be a true, womanly woman is great: And if ever you come to be that, 'twill be when You can cease to be babies, nor try to be men! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD HEMATITE HEIRLOOM LIVES ON (MAYBE DECEMBER 1980) by ALICE NOTLEY ON THE BEACH by CLARIBEL ALEGRIA FEMINIST POEM NUMBER ONE by ELIZABETH ALEXANDER HYPOCRITE SWIFT by LOUISE BOGAN FOR A GODCHILD, REGINA, ON THE OCCASION OF HER FIRST LOVE by TOI DERRICOTTE HESTER'S SONG by TOI DERRICOTTE A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND by PHOEBE CARY |
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