March 8: International Women's Day, Brenda Shaughnessy, "Postfeminism"

And a poem from Saint Marty on International Women's Day for all the strong women in his life . . .

Postfeminism

by:  Brenda Shaughnessy

There are two kinds of people, soldiers and women,
as Virginia Woolf said.  Both for decoration only.

Now that is too kind.  It's technical:  virgins and wolves.
We have choices now.  Two little girls walk into a bar,

one orders a shirley temple.  Shirley Temple's pimp
comes over and says you won't be sorry.  She's a fine

piece of work but she don't come cheap.  Myself, I'm
in less fear of predators than of walking around

in my mother's body.  That's sneaky, that's more
than naked.  Let's even it up:  you go on fuming in your

gray room.  I am voracious alone.  Blank and loose,
metallic lingerie.  And rare black-tipped cigarettes

in a handmade basket case.  Which of us weaves
the world together with a quicker blur of armed

seduction:  your-war-on-thugs, my body stockings.
Ascetic and carnivore.  Men will crack your glaze

even if you leave them before morning.  Pigs
ride the sirens in packs.  Ah, flesh, technoflesh,

there are two kinds of people.  Hot with mixed
light, drunk on insult.  You and me.