Herland Voice : v.29: no.1(2011)
- Title
- Herland Voice : v.29: no.1(2011)
- Description
- The Herland Voice is the monthly publication of Herland Sister Resources, a womanist organization with a strong lesbian focus based in Oklahoma City.
- Publisher
- en_US Herland Sister Resources
- Date Issued
- 2011-04
- Rights
- All rights reserved by Herland Sister Resources. Contact UCO Archives & Special Collections for the permission policy on the use, reproduction or distribution of these materials.
- Is Part Of
- Herland Voice
- Creator
- Herland Sister Resources
- Date
- 2019-07-02T19:30:33Z
- Date Available
- 2019-07-02T19:30:33Z
- Subject
- Oklahoma
- Type
- application/pdf
- extracted text
-
Serving the womyn’s
community
since 1983
Herland Voice
volume twenty-nine number one
www.herlandsisters.org
april 2011
Special Poetry EdiƟon—starƟng on Page 4
Herland Spring Retreat
Roman Nose State Park, Watonga, OK
May 13-15, 2011
Do you have CABIN FEVER? Has it been a while since
you spent an enƟre weekend RELAXING and HAVING
FUN with FRIENDS? Are you ready for an AMAZING
CONCERT, YUMMY FOOD, and the opƟon to DO
WHATEVER YOU WANT for the weekend? Well, Herland has just the event for you! The Herland Spring
Retreat will be at Roman Nose State Park (near Watonga), Friday, May 13 to Sunday, May 15!
For those of you that have never been to a Herland
retreat, or those that can’t remember the last retreat
they a ended… come on and have some fun! Whether
you come solo or with friends, are a cer fied camper or
city grrrl, or come from near or far, it’s a perfect, affordable opportunity to meet new friends, catch up with old
friends, play board games and sports, explore nature,
fish, learn something new at a workshop, or simply take
it easy in an incredibly suppor ve, women-only environment.
As usual, your registra on includes lodging for both
nights, supper when you arrive Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday scrump ous breakfasts, and our famous potluck Saturday evening, the Saturday night concert, campfires, and all ac vi es planned throughout
the weekend! Our Saturday evening concert will feature “Petals and Friends” of the band IRIS! With
Girls & Guitars, Incredible Harmonies, and Sharlene on
the Harmonica - these musicians KNOW how to have a
good me and promise to have Roman Nose Rockin’!
Plans are currently being made for all kinds of exci ng
ac vi es, including a cra workshop or two, fabulous
food, a group going fly fishing, dancing, campfires, and
just about everything else you’d expect from a Herland
Retreat. If you have a hobby you’d like to share with
other awesome women, or have an idea for a workshop,
email Sannie at SAHatwork@aol.com or call (405) 5502312 and we’ll get it planned. Be crea ve with this –
anything goes!
The Herland Retreat is whatever we make it.
Let’s make it great!
Since we’re only publishing The Voice quarterly, this is
the only registraƟon form you’ll receive. The deadline
for pre-registra on (which really helps us to know how
much food to buy and how many awesome women to
expect) is Monday, May 7th. A er you send us your registra on form and check, we’ll mail you a packet which
will include a map, more informa on about the planned
ac vi es, and a list of what you’ll want to bring with you.
Do yourself a favor, and register now while you’re thinking about it!
The Herland Voice is a publication of Herland Sister Resources, 2312 NW 39th, OKC, OK 73112. Our bookstore/lending library is
open Saturdays from 1-5 pm. Call us at (405) 521-9696 or email us at herland@herlandsisters.org. Visit us on the web at
www.herlandsisters.org.
Herland Spring Retreat 2011 RegistraƟon
Roman Nose State Park, Watonga, OK May 13-15, 2011
Deadline for pre-registra on is May 8th. Please return registra on form and check to:
Herland Sister Resources, 2312 NW 39th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
A retreat packet with all informa on will be mailed to you.
Name(s): ______________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________ State: _______ Zip: ___________
Email: _______________________________________ Phone: ___________________
Total RegistraƟon Fee $___________ enclosed.
( ) I’m enclosing an addi onal $ __________ to help provide scholarships.
( ) I’m bringing ______ children (girls of all ages and boys under age 10 are welcome).
( ) I’m bringing ______ dogs that will be kept on leashes at all mes and I and will sign a
waiver sta ng I am completely responsible for any injury or damage caused by my dog(s).
( ) I have a disability and need the following if possible: ___________________________________________________________
Sliding Scale RegistraƟon Fee (for enƟre weekend)
Annual Income PER PERSON
( ) under $13,300 - $30 ( ) All Day Saturday - $25 (includes Concert)
( ) $13,300-$30,000 - $45 ( ) Saturday Night Concert Only - $10
( ) over $30,000 - $60
Supper Clubs—April, May, and June
For the April Supper Club, which will be Friday, April 1st, we’ll meet at Picasso Cafe on Paseo at 5:30 pm for dinner.
A erwards, we’ll be taking the First Friday Paseo Art Walk and visi ng the galleries. If we s ll have energy, we’ll then go
to the Blue Door at 2805 N. McKinley to hear Susan Gibson, an amazing singer-songwriter that wrote the song “Wide
Open Spaces” that the Dixie Chicks recorded, for her CD release.
The May Supper Club (May 14) falls on the Saturday of the spring retreat, so we’ll enjoy each other’s Pot Luck dishes at
the retreat!
For the June Supper Club, we’ll be taking a road-trip to Tulsa! On Saturday, June 11th, we’ll meet at Herland at 4:00 and
head up the turnpike to have dinner with our Tulsa friends, and then check out Tulsa’s Pride Parade and Fes val! We
have a few vans and large cars lined up, so let us know if you’re thinking about joining in the fun, and we’ll make sure we
fit everyone in! Watch the June issue of the Voice for more details.
upcoming herland events
April 9th- HSR Clean Up Day!
Have you been thinking… How can I help out Herland? Well, now’s your chance to
help! We’re having a clean up day on Saturday, April 9, 2011. We’ll be cleaning up
the yard, so please bring your rakes (leaf & garden varie es), shovels, chainsaws,
pole saws, pruners and hand pruners, eye protec on, heavy gloves, and of course
yourselves! If you’re not the outdoorsy type, don’t worry – we can find something
inside to work on! We’ll start around 8:30am and will be working all day, so come
when you can. Sounds crazy, but we always end up having a good me on work
days. Hope to see you all there!
April 10th- Curious About Fly Fishing?
Join us for a seminar on fly fishing at Herland, on Sunday, April 10th from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. See more details on page
5.
April 23rd- CraŌs!
A cra ing workshop will be held at Herland on Saturday, April 23 from 1-5 to make
extravagant decora ons for the King and Queens Ball. We will use feathers, sequins,
and cardboard to construct outlandish table centerpieces and candle-lampra to create a mood of hilarity! There may be several kinds of glue involved.
April 30th- from 7-11- Kings & Queens Ball!
At 7pm at Church of the Open Arms! We will have a costume contest for children, teens
and adults, with trophies all around; a place for everyone to make a crown and cape; and
music and dancing! There will be a (semi) quiet area where a tape of the Royal Wedding
of Kate and William, from the day before, will be shown. A box of ssues will be provided
for the Weepies. A re for this event is the same as the Royal one: "Uniform, Morning
Coat, or Lounge Suit", which we shall interpret as uniform of any union worker, bathrobe/
pajamas, or 70's disco ou it. There will be REAL royalty present, who will perform as
Kings and Queens! Tickets are at the door: $12 for adults, $6 for teens and $3 for children. We will keep in mind that some people think they are children un l they are 90!
Soon!- Herland Book Study Coming Soon!
Kathy McCallie will be leading a book study of the book Herland, by the feminist writer,
Charlo e Perkins Gilman. This discussion group will meet once each week for three
weeks, and will probably start late this summer. If you’d like to go ahead and put your
name on the list, we’ll contact you with more details when they become available. Just
leave your name and number on the Herland answering machine, indica ng you want to
be on the “Book Study List”, or be er yet – stop by on a Saturday from 1 un l 5 and visit
in person!
Making the Bed
Family Values
Here the unmade bed
we slept in,
silent white wrinkles
are the betweenness
of us, crinkling into
our night words,
they separate
but hold us
together.
The rule of thumb was,
he could beat her with any s ck
that was no thicker than his thumb.
This was no fond game of bondage,
but the state religion of empires.
In ancient Rome,
familia meant all of the slaves
belonging to one master,
and in this century,
a family is said to have come to its end
if it spawns a genera on without sons.
Here we lie down
together. Our worlds
meet. Beauty
you have quilted
spreads over us
insula ng
from so many things
we might fear.
Here, we lie down
looking into
the blackness,
towards the universe
of stars un l
dreams invite us
to separate worlds.
And again, in the morning,
we wake differently,
you sit quietly with a tea cup
I look outside the window.
Pieced colors unfold
in flowerbeds
we’ve made and unmade
year a er year, from
here, I pull up the sheets
un l night falls
hoping we come
to each other again.
Abigail F Keegan
Dr. Abigail Keegan teaches Bri sh and Women’s Literature at
Oklahoma City University. She has published two previous
books of poetry, The Feast of the Assump ons, Oklahoma
Journey and a cri cal book, -Byon’s Othered Self and Voice:
Contexualizing the Homographic Signature. Her most recent
book of poems, Depending on the Weather, has just been
published by Village Books Press.
Thirty years ago, in every state
is was legal for a woman's husband to rape her.
Today few woomen promise at the altar
to obey the man they've wed,
but how many submit to his torture
to keep their health insurance?
Sister, you can fight for the right
to marry the womon you love,
but how will you answer that red ques on,
"Which one of you is the man?"
You can fight for the right
to join this man's army, to join the CIA,
to watch our kind appear on network television.
When did your dreams shrink so small?
Don't you remember when we fought for all of us
to have food and medicine,
and for no one to own anyone else?
When the sound of one heart bea ng
might make only a ny rumble,
but all of our hearts bea ng together
might make an earthquake
that would bring down all of the armies,
and would topple the kings in their stone towers.
I remember, and my heart is s ll bea ng.
Is yours?
Betsy Brown
Sodomy
Turned to stone
just like that
le alone for all eternity
for all the gawking tourists
to photograph and talk about.
How did she get mixed up with that fucker Lot, anyway?
He, known as the one righteous man in Sodom,
the kind whom angels come to visit.
He was a pillar of the community
before she was.
He wore his righteousness like a shroud.
His neighbors were not so neighborly.
"Intercourse" is a work that also means "to talk"
but the neighbors didn't want to talk with the angels.
"Take my wife, please,"
a phrase remaining to be invented by some much later wiseass.
But Lot was not about to put his own bu on the line.
"Do not be so wicked," he told the neighbors.
"Take my daughters, they are virgins,
you can do as you please to them."
He pulled his righteousness around him like a shroud.
He had offered his dearest possessions.
His neighbors, not deterred, tried to break down the door
only to be driven back by an angelic lightning flash.
Those Sodomites didn't care who they fucked with.
This town could not be saved.
Only the family of the righteous Lot could escape with the angels.
But they must trust in righteousness
and not look back.
What was her name, anyway?
Was she not ready to leave behind
the grief and sorrow of this place
or did she know what tragedy lay ahead?
She could not trust.
The river of salt flowed from her eyes.
She knew what was underneath the shroud.
Flowing powerless like a river of salt,
she could go no further.
She could not conceive
how to protect her daughters from righteousness.
She looked back.
Frozen, now, for all eternity as a bad example.
Lot took his righteousness and her daughters
and made camp in the mountains.
Later, he said the daughters were seduc ve.
He said they got him drunk.
We've heard that excuse many mes since then.
The daughters heard it many mes before
and blamed themselves as damaged goods
the neighbors would not accept.
Lot's line went on
to prove a paradigm of righteousness.
The daughters wept many bi er tears.
And their mother, whoever she was
stands alone for all eternity as the first bad example.
Betsy Brown
The LeƩer I Cannot Send
Beloved,
Unrequited love is a bitch.
Yours, unfortunately,
Beso ed
AÄÄ GÙ®½®
Stupid Love
Joanne
When you know he’s lying,
When you know he cheats,
When you know he’s broken,
Maybe beyond repair,
Certainly beyond your repair,
Absolutely undependable…
I was the weirdest girl at Northeast High School.
When you know she’s desperate,
When you know she manipulates,
When you know she’s abusive,
Controlling with rage,
Terrifying and overwhelming,
Absolutely terrified….
My hair was as short as I could make the hairdresser cut it.
I wore oxford shoes and plain shirts and jeans.
I played field hockey and so ball badly,
skipped the junior prom,
and spent my weekends at Girl Scout camp.
I did not flirt, did not date,
did not carry a pocketbook or wear makeup.
The boys called me names in the hall
and in the lunchroom, but I didn't care.
Because they were only calling names,
When you know it can never last,
When you know it can never work,
When you know it can only hurt,
When you know it’s a fraud,
When you know it’s all a lie…
not hi ng me, not threatening to fuck me
to find out if I was a girl or a boy,
I was no coward for not figh ng them.
I could ignore them and hold my head high.
And you go there anyway.
I don't know why Joanne liked me.
AÄÄ GÙ®½®
She wore miniskirts and pantyhose,
coated her mouth with lips ck,
caked her cheeks with powder and blush,
had at least two boyfriends at once,
so she could use one to make the other jealous.
She was determined to make a lady of me.
"Eee-liz-a-beth," she told me, "you don't know
what you're missing." I figured not much.
Once she had plumbed the depths of my obs nacy,
Joanne changed her approach.
"They're called lesbians," she told me.
"The ones that act like men are called butches,
and the ones that act like women are called dykes."
She never let on she was talking about me.
Betsy Brown
Geraldine Ferraro, 1935-2010
BOSTON (AP) — Geraldine Ferraro was a rela vely
obscure congresswoman from the New York City borough of Queens in 1984 when she was tapped by
Democra c presiden al nominee Walter Mondale to
join his cket.
Her vice presiden al bid, the first for a woman on a
major party cket, emboldened women across the
country to seek public office
and helped lay the groundwork for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presiden al candidacy in
2008 and John McCain's
choice of his running mate,
Sarah Palin, that year.
Ferraro died Saturday in Boston, where the 75-year-old
was being treated for complica ons of blood cancer.
Mondale's campaign had struggled to gain trac on
and his selec on of Ferraro, at least momentarily,
revived his momentum and energized millions of
women who were thrilled to see one of their own on
a na onal cket.
Polls showed the Democra c cket gaining ground on
President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George
H. W. Bush ini ally. But her candidacy ul mately
proved rocky as she fought ethics charges and traded
barbs with Bush over accusa ons of sexism and class
warfare.
Ferraro later told an interviewer, "I don't think I'd run
again for vice president," then added "Next me I'd
run for president."
One of the Best Kept Secrets—Fly
Fishing in Oklahoma!
F
ly Fishing has been around for hundreds of years,
star ng with a s ck,
string, hook, and something looking like a bug. Today,
we’ve advanced to carbon rods,
state of the art fly line, and other equipment.
Fly Fishing is not just for trout
anymore! Jean will be hos ng a
short seminar on fly fishing at
Herland, on Sunday, April 10th
from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Learn the art of cas ng, rigging your
equipment, selec on of flies, fly tying, and what equipment is
needed for fly fishing.
A er honing your skills at the seminar, Jean will be helping us
“Catch The Big One” on Saturday morning at the Spring Retreat (May 14th)!
The Voice is published monthly by Herland Sister
Resources, Inc. 2312 NW 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
The Voice is offered as an open forum for community
discourse. Articles reflect the opinions of the author and
not necessarily those of Herland Sister Resources.
Unsolicited articles and letters to the editor are welcomed
and must be signed by the writer with full name and
address. Upon request, letters or articles may be printed
under a pseudonym or anonymously. Herland reserves the
right to edit or not publish any article. Subscriptions to
The Voice are free upon request although a donation is
requested to meet publication and distribution costs.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Oklahoma City, OK
Permit No. 861
Herland Sister Resources
2312 NW 39th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Return Service Requested
SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT HELP SUPPORT HERLAND!
Ginny Poindexter
Realtor
Direct
Office
Fax
E-mail
405.919.8443
405.948.7500
405.948.7502
ginnypoindexter@kw.com
KELLER WILLIAMS
5629 N. Classen Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Each office is independently owned and operated.
Sandy Ingraham, J.D., M.S.W.
Attorney-at-Law
Ingraham & Associates, PLLC
Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Adoption, Contracts
Route 2, Box 369-B
McLoud, OK 74851
Tel. (405) 964-2072
Ingraham@mcloudteleco.com
Dr. Dawn Singleton, Ph.D.
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Marital & Family Therapist
5005 N. Pennsylvania #204 OKC, OK
405-232-3296
FREE HOUR CONSULTATION
-
Serving the womyn’s
community
since 1983
Herland Voice
volume twenty-nine number one
www.herlandsisters.org
april 2011
Special Poetry EdiƟon—starƟng on Page 4
Herland Spring Retreat
Roman Nose State Park, Watonga, OK
May 13-15, 2011
Do you have CABIN FEVER? Has it been a while since
you spent an enƟre weekend RELAXING and HAVING
FUN with FRIENDS? Are you ready for an AMAZING
CONCERT, YUMMY FOOD, and the opƟon to DO
WHATEVER YOU WANT for the weekend? Well, Herland has just the event for you! The Herland Spring
Retreat will be at Roman Nose State Park (near Watonga), Friday, May 13 to Sunday, May 15!
For those of you that have never been to a Herland
retreat, or those that can’t remember the last retreat
they a ended… come on and have some fun! Whether
you come solo or with friends, are a cer fied camper or
city grrrl, or come from near or far, it’s a perfect, affordable opportunity to meet new friends, catch up with old
friends, play board games and sports, explore nature,
fish, learn something new at a workshop, or simply take
it easy in an incredibly suppor ve, women-only environment.
As usual, your registra on includes lodging for both
nights, supper when you arrive Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday scrump ous breakfasts, and our famous potluck Saturday evening, the Saturday night concert, campfires, and all ac vi es planned throughout
the weekend! Our Saturday evening concert will feature “Petals and Friends” of the band IRIS! With
Girls & Guitars, Incredible Harmonies, and Sharlene on
the Harmonica - these musicians KNOW how to have a
good me and promise to have Roman Nose Rockin’!
Plans are currently being made for all kinds of exci ng
ac vi es, including a cra workshop or two, fabulous
food, a group going fly fishing, dancing, campfires, and
just about everything else you’d expect from a Herland
Retreat. If you have a hobby you’d like to share with
other awesome women, or have an idea for a workshop,
email Sannie at SAHatwork@aol.com or call (405) 5502312 and we’ll get it planned. Be crea ve with this –
anything goes!
The Herland Retreat is whatever we make it.
Let’s make it great!
Since we’re only publishing The Voice quarterly, this is
the only registraƟon form you’ll receive. The deadline
for pre-registra on (which really helps us to know how
much food to buy and how many awesome women to
expect) is Monday, May 7th. A er you send us your registra on form and check, we’ll mail you a packet which
will include a map, more informa on about the planned
ac vi es, and a list of what you’ll want to bring with you.
Do yourself a favor, and register now while you’re thinking about it!
The Herland Voice is a publication of Herland Sister Resources, 2312 NW 39th, OKC, OK 73112. Our bookstore/lending library is
open Saturdays from 1-5 pm. Call us at (405) 521-9696 or email us at herland@herlandsisters.org. Visit us on the web at
www.herlandsisters.org.
Herland Spring Retreat 2011 RegistraƟon
Roman Nose State Park, Watonga, OK May 13-15, 2011
Deadline for pre-registra on is May 8th. Please return registra on form and check to:
Herland Sister Resources, 2312 NW 39th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.
A retreat packet with all informa on will be mailed to you.
Name(s): ______________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________________ State: _______ Zip: ___________
Email: _______________________________________ Phone: ___________________
Total RegistraƟon Fee $___________ enclosed.
( ) I’m enclosing an addi onal $ __________ to help provide scholarships.
( ) I’m bringing ______ children (girls of all ages and boys under age 10 are welcome).
( ) I’m bringing ______ dogs that will be kept on leashes at all mes and I and will sign a
waiver sta ng I am completely responsible for any injury or damage caused by my dog(s).
( ) I have a disability and need the following if possible: ___________________________________________________________
Sliding Scale RegistraƟon Fee (for enƟre weekend)
Annual Income PER PERSON
( ) under $13,300 - $30 ( ) All Day Saturday - $25 (includes Concert)
( ) $13,300-$30,000 - $45 ( ) Saturday Night Concert Only - $10
( ) over $30,000 - $60
Supper Clubs—April, May, and June
For the April Supper Club, which will be Friday, April 1st, we’ll meet at Picasso Cafe on Paseo at 5:30 pm for dinner.
A erwards, we’ll be taking the First Friday Paseo Art Walk and visi ng the galleries. If we s ll have energy, we’ll then go
to the Blue Door at 2805 N. McKinley to hear Susan Gibson, an amazing singer-songwriter that wrote the song “Wide
Open Spaces” that the Dixie Chicks recorded, for her CD release.
The May Supper Club (May 14) falls on the Saturday of the spring retreat, so we’ll enjoy each other’s Pot Luck dishes at
the retreat!
For the June Supper Club, we’ll be taking a road-trip to Tulsa! On Saturday, June 11th, we’ll meet at Herland at 4:00 and
head up the turnpike to have dinner with our Tulsa friends, and then check out Tulsa’s Pride Parade and Fes val! We
have a few vans and large cars lined up, so let us know if you’re thinking about joining in the fun, and we’ll make sure we
fit everyone in! Watch the June issue of the Voice for more details.
upcoming herland events
April 9th- HSR Clean Up Day!
Have you been thinking… How can I help out Herland? Well, now’s your chance to
help! We’re having a clean up day on Saturday, April 9, 2011. We’ll be cleaning up
the yard, so please bring your rakes (leaf & garden varie es), shovels, chainsaws,
pole saws, pruners and hand pruners, eye protec on, heavy gloves, and of course
yourselves! If you’re not the outdoorsy type, don’t worry – we can find something
inside to work on! We’ll start around 8:30am and will be working all day, so come
when you can. Sounds crazy, but we always end up having a good me on work
days. Hope to see you all there!
April 10th- Curious About Fly Fishing?
Join us for a seminar on fly fishing at Herland, on Sunday, April 10th from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. See more details on page
5.
April 23rd- CraŌs!
A cra ing workshop will be held at Herland on Saturday, April 23 from 1-5 to make
extravagant decora ons for the King and Queens Ball. We will use feathers, sequins,
and cardboard to construct outlandish table centerpieces and candle-lampra to create a mood of hilarity! There may be several kinds of glue involved.
April 30th- from 7-11- Kings & Queens Ball!
At 7pm at Church of the Open Arms! We will have a costume contest for children, teens
and adults, with trophies all around; a place for everyone to make a crown and cape; and
music and dancing! There will be a (semi) quiet area where a tape of the Royal Wedding
of Kate and William, from the day before, will be shown. A box of ssues will be provided
for the Weepies. A re for this event is the same as the Royal one: "Uniform, Morning
Coat, or Lounge Suit", which we shall interpret as uniform of any union worker, bathrobe/
pajamas, or 70's disco ou it. There will be REAL royalty present, who will perform as
Kings and Queens! Tickets are at the door: $12 for adults, $6 for teens and $3 for children. We will keep in mind that some people think they are children un l they are 90!
Soon!- Herland Book Study Coming Soon!
Kathy McCallie will be leading a book study of the book Herland, by the feminist writer,
Charlo e Perkins Gilman. This discussion group will meet once each week for three
weeks, and will probably start late this summer. If you’d like to go ahead and put your
name on the list, we’ll contact you with more details when they become available. Just
leave your name and number on the Herland answering machine, indica ng you want to
be on the “Book Study List”, or be er yet – stop by on a Saturday from 1 un l 5 and visit
in person!
Making the Bed
Family Values
Here the unmade bed
we slept in,
silent white wrinkles
are the betweenness
of us, crinkling into
our night words,
they separate
but hold us
together.
The rule of thumb was,
he could beat her with any s ck
that was no thicker than his thumb.
This was no fond game of bondage,
but the state religion of empires.
In ancient Rome,
familia meant all of the slaves
belonging to one master,
and in this century,
a family is said to have come to its end
if it spawns a genera on without sons.
Here we lie down
together. Our worlds
meet. Beauty
you have quilted
spreads over us
insula ng
from so many things
we might fear.
Here, we lie down
looking into
the blackness,
towards the universe
of stars un l
dreams invite us
to separate worlds.
And again, in the morning,
we wake differently,
you sit quietly with a tea cup
I look outside the window.
Pieced colors unfold
in flowerbeds
we’ve made and unmade
year a er year, from
here, I pull up the sheets
un l night falls
hoping we come
to each other again.
Abigail F Keegan
Dr. Abigail Keegan teaches Bri sh and Women’s Literature at
Oklahoma City University. She has published two previous
books of poetry, The Feast of the Assump ons, Oklahoma
Journey and a cri cal book, -Byon’s Othered Self and Voice:
Contexualizing the Homographic Signature. Her most recent
book of poems, Depending on the Weather, has just been
published by Village Books Press.
Thirty years ago, in every state
is was legal for a woman's husband to rape her.
Today few woomen promise at the altar
to obey the man they've wed,
but how many submit to his torture
to keep their health insurance?
Sister, you can fight for the right
to marry the womon you love,
but how will you answer that red ques on,
"Which one of you is the man?"
You can fight for the right
to join this man's army, to join the CIA,
to watch our kind appear on network television.
When did your dreams shrink so small?
Don't you remember when we fought for all of us
to have food and medicine,
and for no one to own anyone else?
When the sound of one heart bea ng
might make only a ny rumble,
but all of our hearts bea ng together
might make an earthquake
that would bring down all of the armies,
and would topple the kings in their stone towers.
I remember, and my heart is s ll bea ng.
Is yours?
Betsy Brown
Sodomy
Turned to stone
just like that
le alone for all eternity
for all the gawking tourists
to photograph and talk about.
How did she get mixed up with that fucker Lot, anyway?
He, known as the one righteous man in Sodom,
the kind whom angels come to visit.
He was a pillar of the community
before she was.
He wore his righteousness like a shroud.
His neighbors were not so neighborly.
"Intercourse" is a work that also means "to talk"
but the neighbors didn't want to talk with the angels.
"Take my wife, please,"
a phrase remaining to be invented by some much later wiseass.
But Lot was not about to put his own bu on the line.
"Do not be so wicked," he told the neighbors.
"Take my daughters, they are virgins,
you can do as you please to them."
He pulled his righteousness around him like a shroud.
He had offered his dearest possessions.
His neighbors, not deterred, tried to break down the door
only to be driven back by an angelic lightning flash.
Those Sodomites didn't care who they fucked with.
This town could not be saved.
Only the family of the righteous Lot could escape with the angels.
But they must trust in righteousness
and not look back.
What was her name, anyway?
Was she not ready to leave behind
the grief and sorrow of this place
or did she know what tragedy lay ahead?
She could not trust.
The river of salt flowed from her eyes.
She knew what was underneath the shroud.
Flowing powerless like a river of salt,
she could go no further.
She could not conceive
how to protect her daughters from righteousness.
She looked back.
Frozen, now, for all eternity as a bad example.
Lot took his righteousness and her daughters
and made camp in the mountains.
Later, he said the daughters were seduc ve.
He said they got him drunk.
We've heard that excuse many mes since then.
The daughters heard it many mes before
and blamed themselves as damaged goods
the neighbors would not accept.
Lot's line went on
to prove a paradigm of righteousness.
The daughters wept many bi er tears.
And their mother, whoever she was
stands alone for all eternity as the first bad example.
Betsy Brown
The LeƩer I Cannot Send
Beloved,
Unrequited love is a bitch.
Yours, unfortunately,
Beso ed
AÄÄ GÙ®½®
Stupid Love
Joanne
When you know he’s lying,
When you know he cheats,
When you know he’s broken,
Maybe beyond repair,
Certainly beyond your repair,
Absolutely undependable…
I was the weirdest girl at Northeast High School.
When you know she’s desperate,
When you know she manipulates,
When you know she’s abusive,
Controlling with rage,
Terrifying and overwhelming,
Absolutely terrified….
My hair was as short as I could make the hairdresser cut it.
I wore oxford shoes and plain shirts and jeans.
I played field hockey and so ball badly,
skipped the junior prom,
and spent my weekends at Girl Scout camp.
I did not flirt, did not date,
did not carry a pocketbook or wear makeup.
The boys called me names in the hall
and in the lunchroom, but I didn't care.
Because they were only calling names,
When you know it can never last,
When you know it can never work,
When you know it can only hurt,
When you know it’s a fraud,
When you know it’s all a lie…
not hi ng me, not threatening to fuck me
to find out if I was a girl or a boy,
I was no coward for not figh ng them.
I could ignore them and hold my head high.
And you go there anyway.
I don't know why Joanne liked me.
AÄÄ GÙ®½®
She wore miniskirts and pantyhose,
coated her mouth with lips ck,
caked her cheeks with powder and blush,
had at least two boyfriends at once,
so she could use one to make the other jealous.
She was determined to make a lady of me.
"Eee-liz-a-beth," she told me, "you don't know
what you're missing." I figured not much.
Once she had plumbed the depths of my obs nacy,
Joanne changed her approach.
"They're called lesbians," she told me.
"The ones that act like men are called butches,
and the ones that act like women are called dykes."
She never let on she was talking about me.
Betsy Brown
Geraldine Ferraro, 1935-2010
BOSTON (AP) — Geraldine Ferraro was a rela vely
obscure congresswoman from the New York City borough of Queens in 1984 when she was tapped by
Democra c presiden al nominee Walter Mondale to
join his cket.
Her vice presiden al bid, the first for a woman on a
major party cket, emboldened women across the
country to seek public office
and helped lay the groundwork for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presiden al candidacy in
2008 and John McCain's
choice of his running mate,
Sarah Palin, that year.
Ferraro died Saturday in Boston, where the 75-year-old
was being treated for complica ons of blood cancer.
Mondale's campaign had struggled to gain trac on
and his selec on of Ferraro, at least momentarily,
revived his momentum and energized millions of
women who were thrilled to see one of their own on
a na onal cket.
Polls showed the Democra c cket gaining ground on
President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George
H. W. Bush ini ally. But her candidacy ul mately
proved rocky as she fought ethics charges and traded
barbs with Bush over accusa ons of sexism and class
warfare.
Ferraro later told an interviewer, "I don't think I'd run
again for vice president," then added "Next me I'd
run for president."
One of the Best Kept Secrets—Fly
Fishing in Oklahoma!
F
ly Fishing has been around for hundreds of years,
star ng with a s ck,
string, hook, and something looking like a bug. Today,
we’ve advanced to carbon rods,
state of the art fly line, and other equipment.
Fly Fishing is not just for trout
anymore! Jean will be hos ng a
short seminar on fly fishing at
Herland, on Sunday, April 10th
from 1:30 to 4:00 pm. Learn the art of cas ng, rigging your
equipment, selec on of flies, fly tying, and what equipment is
needed for fly fishing.
A er honing your skills at the seminar, Jean will be helping us
“Catch The Big One” on Saturday morning at the Spring Retreat (May 14th)!
The Voice is published monthly by Herland Sister
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Direct
Office
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E-mail
405.919.8443
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Each office is independently owned and operated.
Sandy Ingraham, J.D., M.S.W.
Attorney-at-Law
Ingraham & Associates, PLLC
Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Adoption, Contracts
Route 2, Box 369-B
McLoud, OK 74851
Tel. (405) 964-2072
Ingraham@mcloudteleco.com
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5005 N. Pennsylvania #204 OKC, OK
405-232-3296
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