"La Belle Dame sans Merci" by Frank Dicksee‘Equal Schmequal’ and Other Poetry by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society October 5, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Satire 34 Comments . Equal Schmequal The traits of men were glibly mocked __By those who thought men strange— Those who thought the world half-cocked __ And fought for chop and change— All those who chose to rise and rail Against the rock and role of male— __‘Twas time to rearrange The natural order of the Earth. Now gals grow beards and guys give birth. The female of the species knows __The pros of equal rights. She slew the hex of blushing rose __To pack a punch in fights— Fights for votes and equal pay, But equal rights have gone astray— __Now brightly shining knights Won’t kiss a princess in distress. They’re effervescing in a dress. Today this muscly mademoiselle __Has burned his shirts and ties. This herculean jezebel __Is out to win the prize. He’s taken women’s rights by storm. This burly bird of brawny form __Embraces fruitful lies… The new-found order of the Earth Is paying him for what she’s worth. . . Battle of the Sexes She craved a man whose chest was slick and hairless— A guy who’d cry at chick-flicks without shame. She thought hirsute spelled chauvinist and careless— Dull Stone Age oafs whose presence was to blame For patriarchal poison running rife Through demon genes of troglodyte descent. She vowed she wouldn’t court a toxic life With barbarous beasts of brash and brazen bent. Androgynous and docile was her goal. Be careful what you wish for, Cupid sighed. And now she’s with an empathetic soul Who struts his spandex female side with pride… A flagrant female side that’s made him rich Since winning every cup in women’s sport. He’s gone from wailing male to grinning bitch— Her stratospheric dream is falling short. He says he’s on an equal playing field— The fought-for field she won with steely balls. Now he’s a she his golden gains are sealed. Oh, how this pyrrhic victory really galls. . . G a p s “She’s got gaps. I got gaps. Together, we fill gaps.” —Rocky Balboa He’s made of granite, guts and grit, Mud and blood, a salty bit Of stoic and a flick of spice. He blazes. She’s a lick of ice. She’s frost on top and hot within. She’s tough to crack. He’s quick to win. He’s made of growl and prowl of bear. She’s made of ocean air and flair. She’s stealth of fox. He’s cleave of shark. He’s moon-kissed owl. She’s sunstruck lark. He’s dark with zig-zag bursts of light. She’s shades of grey with wisps of white. He’s ire and mirth and earth and oak, Fresh-cut grass and bonfire smoke. She’s stormy sky and apple pie. She’s where and when. He’s how and why. Alone they’re prone to come undone— They’re bound to win when they are one. . . Susan Jarvis Bryant has poetry published on Lighten Up Online, Snakeskin, Light, Sparks of Calliope, and Expansive Poetry Online. She also has poetry published in TRINACRIA, Beth Houston’s Extreme Formal Poems anthology, and in Openings (anthologies of poems by Open University Poets in the UK). Susan is the winner of the 2020 International SCP Poetry Competition, and has been nominated for the 2022 Pushcart Prize. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 34 Responses Damian Robin October 5, 2022 Love um all. Magical. Deftly dealing with gender stealing and and the male-ma’am mishmash. Brings to mind the ideas here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZzu0hyDdNI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmKrEil9-Ag incidentally (or maybe not incidentally, but it’s about the characters of Rocky Balboa and butch Sylvester Stallone) another of Balboa’s speeches is quoted in the full version of Piers Morgan’s interview with Jorden Peterson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpnvGA-wJIE Magnificent, Susan. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 5, 2022 Damian, thank you very much for your perspicacious and encouraging comment together with the links. I am a fan of Jordan Peterson and will definitely be watching this interview later. He has done much to encourage the downtrodden young men who have now been assigned to an “incel” pigeonhole… how cruel! We are now living in an insane world where traditional masculinity is frowned upon to the point that men are obsolete unless they’re transgender, the term ‘woman’ is riddled with confusion and both men and women (I mean this in the biological sense and shouldn’t even have to spell it out, but sadly, it’s necessary) are suffering horribly for it… not to mention the damage inflicted upon our children in the name of “gender affirming care.” I wanted to write poems that spell out the idiocy of gender identity and fluidity while giving some much-needed praise to our differences… I happen to think the differences between men and women are worth celebrating… they’re the reason I got married. 🙂 Reply Mary Gardner October 5, 2022 Susan, you are an artist with words. What is the poetic form of “Equal Schmequal?” I couldn’t find it with Google. Is it your own creation? Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 5, 2022 Thank you very much, Mary. I wrote another poem using this form. It’s called ‘Backyard Bliss’. I stole it from William Cullen Bryant’s ‘A Song of Pitcairn’s Island’. I think it’s a nonce form. If a form grabs me, I like to try it out for myself. I sometimes just go with the flow and create a nonce form of my own. William Cullen Bryant has done a much better job with his poem than I have with mine… it’s well worth a read, and I am grateful to him for his inspiration… that’s why I always have a poetry book in my hand. 🙂 Reply Yael October 5, 2022 Lovely social commentary in a brilliantly rhymed format. Combined with warm sunny skies and apple harvest, what more could the Turtletown bard service possibly wish for? My cup runneth over, thank you! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 6, 2022 Yael, your comment has me smiling broadly… I’m glad to keep the Turtletown bard service updated on the insanities of the world… with a huge linguistic grin. The weather sounds gorgeous… I hope it lasts. The hummingbirds are stocking up on syrup before their long flight south, so I’m thoroughly enjoying their exquisite company before they go. Reply Roy E. Peterson October 5, 2022 Great exposés on the unsavory and hopefully untenable position of gender bending. Besides the extraordinary use of mellifluous words, the piercing, incisive, penetrating warning provided by Cupid in the second poem offers the perfect insight: “Androgynous and docile was her goal. Be careful what you wish for, Cupid sighed. And now she’s with an empathetic soul Who struts his spandex female side with pride…” Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 6, 2022 Roy, I’m glad you enjoyed these poems… what has the world come to?! Let’s hope it turns itself around… soon. Thank you for your lovely comment. Reply Brian Yapko October 5, 2022 Susan, these three poems on gender roles and, in particular, the devaluation of masculinity, are a riot. Of the three, the sweetest by far is “Gaps” which gives a light description of how the right relationship – complementary qualities, opposing qualities – can make for a complete life for two. It’s not particularly logical (why is she “where and when” while he’s “how and why?”) but sometimes there’s a truth beyond logic and you’ve found it. I especially like the chewiness of the lines “He’s ire and mirth and earth and oak”. And mining the dialog from “Rocky” for poetic inspiration must be a first. There’s a lot more anger in “Equal, Shmequal” and “Battle of the Sexes.” As is often your style, the hilarity in these poems barely masks your superb disdain for the unfortunate object of your attention – here the utter and catastrophic collapse of gender roles into an unholy mish-mosh in which nothing makes sense anymore. A special shout-out for your hilarious lines: “Now brightly shining knights/Won’t kiss a princess in distress./They’re effervescing in a dress.” But you clearly this collapse as the fault of both men and women. Rightly so, I think. Men have given up masculinity, women have encouraged this in the name of equal rights. And the transgender hegemony has created a situation where all bets are off. What kind of circus have we been left with as a result? And how will children ever respect social order if adults cannot? To close, your “Battle of the Sexes” is hilarious – especially Cupid’s sigh while granting that wish for a hairless non-troglodyte. This reminds me of the film “Bedazzled.” Brendan Fraser sells his soul to Elizabeth Hurley as the devil in exchange for three wishes to get the girl of his dreams. Wish number 2 is to be “the most sensitive man in the world.” He becomes a weepy mess who worries desperately about the dolphins being endangered and spouts psychobabble until he drives the girl into the arms of an insensitive but traditional macho dude. Balance matters. And, unfortunately, traditional gender roles won’t be appreciated until they’re lost. Here’s hoping your poetry will prevent that from happening! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 6, 2022 Brian, I love your fine eye for detail, and I’m always overjoyed at the little gems you find in and between the lines. I am all for women’s rights and believe women should be able to vote, have property rights, parental rights, equal pay for equal work, etc. etc. BUT today it seems the world has gone insane in the name of “equal rights” … not all differences are detrimental… many are beautiful. I do believe the problem we have now lies at everyone’s feet. The litmus test for me is, if you’re laughing at a cuckolded, emasculated man in a show or on an advert, would the same attitude be okay if it was a woman? If not, it’s wrong. It’s the same for sports. No biological male should compete against a biological female… it’s unfair. Is all this leading to a world where no one has an identity… we’re just sexless, faceless, hackable animals in a godless present with no past, no future, and no culture? Not on my watch it isn’t! I feel another poem coming on! The Hurley/Fraser film sounds a hoot – and how prophetic. As for the “when and where” and “how and why” … Mike’s definitely a “how and why” and I’m a “when and where”, and it works out perfectly! Brian, thank you very much! Reply Joshua C. Frank October 5, 2022 Susan, all three are wonderful, but my favorite one is “Gaps.” It shows so beautifully how men and women are made for each other, as opposed to modern culture’s insistence that men are defective women, that being a man is like having a severe disability (such ideas were drummed into my head growing up). The first two are also really good, showing how feminist thought and legislation have naturally led to men trying to become women now that the culture considers it a step up… much to feminists’ dismay. I also love the puns: “winning every cup in women’s sport,” “half-cocked,” “win when they are one,” and so on. If I may get on my own soap box here, the only good thing about the transgender movement is that it’s led radical feminists to be cancelled the way they cancelled everyone who believed in traditional gender roles! Although, I don’t think even feminists truly want “a guy who’d cry at chick-flicks without shame.” Studies show that the more a married couple embraces traditional gender roles, the more they embrace each other in more intimate ways: https://joshchristophersen.com/married-couples-with-traditional-gender-roles-have-more-sex/ https://mercatornet.com/more-traditional-gender-roles-more-sex/21247/ One only needs to read my poetry to see why more is at stake here than just a little pleasure… Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Josh, thank you very much for your astute comment and the links which hold up exactly what today’s destructive ideology is trying to eradicate. I am fed up with living in a world where differences in men and women are seen as flaws and not celebrated in full. I believe women have suffered too. Many are carrying all the weight because men have been rendered obsolete. Women have been told for years they can do it all alone, men are not needed… and just look around at the fatherless homes and the misguided youth… all by design. Something needs to change, and I think respect for one another’s differences is where it’s at, which is why I’m thrilled you like ‘Gaps’. Reply Shaun C. Duncan October 5, 2022 Magnificent as always, Susan. “Muscly mademoiselle” and “herculean jezebel” are both delightful turns of phrase in their own right but also work beautifully as a rhyming pair. I particularly like the way you approach these sets too – each piece stands well on its own but they also build and at points contrast off each other to explore the subject matter from a variety of angles. “Gaps” works well on its own but it’s more powerful when read immediately after the other two. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Shaun, thank you so much for your wonderful observations. I had a little snigger when I chose those rhyming combinations… I love the sound and image they create… an image that is forced upon us as ‘normal’ – I wanted to stress that it isn’t normal… poetically, of course. I’m beginning to think that ‘Gaps’ is such a hit because it expresses a beautiful truth that has been trampled all over by those who want to pit human beings against each other to make them easier to control. Reply Norma Pain October 5, 2022 All three poems are amazing Susan. I have to say that I am finding all of this gender-bender stuff very confusing. I can only begin to imagine how young people are managing to navigate their way through the madness. Nothing is making sense any more. Thank you Susan. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Norma, I’m glad you like the poems – thank you! Your confusion surrounding the gender idiocy is again, by design. There are big bucks being made at the expense of children’s confusion at the moment, confusion which is leaving them sterile, mutilated and depressed. I am certain every child going through puberty suffers with image problems, self-esteem problems, and confusion, and I am certain the vast majority get over it in their own time. Let’s hope that a little bit of poetry on these subjects will make a big difference. Reply Anna J. Arredondo October 6, 2022 I agree with Shaun that “Gaps” is even more powerful when it follows the first two. All three are well-written, but I don’t *enjoy* the first two so much because the topic is so maddening and distasteful. But after reading them, I sure did so enjoy “Gaps”! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Anna, thank you very much for your comment. I agree with you – the first two are not as enjoyable, which is why I ended on a smile with ‘Gaps’. As far as the topic being “maddening and distasteful”, you are so right. I often sit down to write about the sun, the moon, and the stars and my insistent Muse leads me in another direction entirely… I don’t know how long this will last, but I am powerless to resist. Please bear with me, my talented fellow poet, there will be some glimmers of beauty amid the slag heap of harsh reality… I promise. 🙂 Reply Anna J. Arredondo October 9, 2022 Susan, I loved your reply. I have much to say and much logic to invoke on a number of maddening topics, but if I try to versify my thoughts, my Muse runs away screaming, ears covered, and I am left with clunky and inelegant lines! I appreciate the skill and clarity with which you address the topics of your Muse’s insistence.Since I can’t avoid hearing of the atrocities and absurdities that run rampant in society these days, at least I can read about them from your pen — far more enjoyable then the “news”. Your recent caper into the clouds reassured me that there will be these glimmers of beauty to take our eyes off the slag heap of reality now and then. I look forward to more! Susan Jarvis Bryant October 12, 2022 Anna, I’m glad to hear your Muse is as rebellious as mine… I wanted to write a poem about the moon… and well… you know the rest, darn it!! Brace yourself! 🙂 Paul Freeman October 6, 2022 I’m a ‘Gaps’ man, too. I was reminded by it, not only of the poem / song / nursery rhyme ‘What are Little Girls (and Boys) made of?’, but of Charles Aznavour’s classic song ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls’, which alas would probably fall victim to the current climate of deliberate misinterpretation and be passed over for something more sanitised and unmemorable. Thanks for the reads, Susan. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 I’m glad to hear you’re a ‘Gaps’ man, Paul… Gaps is where it’s at! Thank you very much for your comment… it’s made me nostalgic. Reply Jeff Eardley October 7, 2022 Great stuff again Susan. I assume the target is Lia Thomas but I may be wrong. Thanks for many great lines. “Demon genes of troglodyte descent” applies to most of my friends. As Kinks Ray Davies said, back in 1970, “Girls will be boys and boys will be girls, it’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up World.” He was years ahead of his time with “Lola.” Just off to dust off the Spandex before the next gig as I recall the famous last words of mincing comic, Larry Grayson…”Shut that lid.” Reply Joshua C. Frank October 7, 2022 Jeff, I think you’re missing the point of that line. The phrase “troglodyte descent” (as I understand it) is articulating the feminist view that men are “less evolved” than women, just as white racists think about black people, in order to write against it. (This, in fact, is one of the biggest problems with believing in evolution; it easily lends itself to the belief that some kinds of people are “more evolved” than others.) Similarly, “demon genes” is meant to articulate the view that male-specific genes are inherently evil, that men are fallen angels like Satan while women are conceived without original sin like the Virgin Mary. The very language points out that it’s a demonization of males. For a man to agree with it is quite troublesome. I’m assuming you would take offense if someone said that about women, or any specific race, so why is it all right to say that about men? Maybe your friends are like animals or devils (in which case I would suggest finding new friends and backing away from these before they corrupt you), but what you’re saying sounds as though you think it’s because they’re male, that men are to women as chimpanzees and gorillas are to humans or devils are to angels. I think others are going to understand it in the same way, so if I’m wrong, please let us all know. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Josh, you are spot on with your analysis. I firmly believe men have been put down for years. We all know what the outcome would be if I used such language to describe women, and that is my entire point… equality isn’t equality in the divisive and hypocritical world we live in… it’s one rule for men and one for women, one rule for black and one rule for white, one rule for the vaccinated and one for the unvaccinated, and on and on we go, and the whole globe has gone tits up… do excuse the expression. I cannot help adding a bit of humor. Which is where Jeff comes in with his British sarcasm… the British (those of us still left with a sense of humor) thrive on sarcasm. I’m certain Jeff knows men have been emasculated (one only has to watch a British advert or sitcom to see it) and his comment is tongue-in-cheek… if it isn’t, I think his friends may abandon him. 😉 Joshua C. Frank October 7, 2022 Ah, I see. I had no idea it was humor. That kind of humor goes over my head without the sarcastic tone. Thanks for explaining it. Jeff Eardley October 7, 2022 Joshua, the ladies over here are always grateful for we men when the car breaks down or you need someone to tile the bathroom. We still (at least some of us of a certain age) have the greatest regard for our wives/partners/spouses. Thank you for your clinical analysis of my comment which was just a bit of fun from over here where we need all the help we can get now that we have an unelected mad woman in charge of our nation. I will pass on your remarks to my friends. They are an amazing bunch, although one or two have a strange resemblance to Cro-Magnon man. As we say over here, “I am the boss in this house, and I have my wife’s permission to say so.” Best wishes to you. Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Jeff, I’m glad you enjoyed these. Thank you! The target wasn’t Lia Thomas (a pawn in a cruel power game), but the insidious ideology that has nothing to do with equality and everything to do with divisiveness leading to the extinction of the traditional male and a world in which no one knows what a woman is. What’s happened!? As a fellow Brit, I know and appreciate your humor… I believe Larry Grayson would be shutting that door firmly on the weird world we live in today, and Everard would have gone into shock! Reply Dan Ward October 7, 2022 Loved these poems, particularly “Gaps”. And, thanks for the tip on A Song of Pitcairn’s Island. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Dan, thank you very much, and you are most welcome! Reply David Watt October 7, 2022 These three poems are highly enjoyable. The delightful way in which “Gaps” demonstrates the complementary nature of the sexes makes this piece my favorite. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 David, thank you very much for your comment. I am thrilled ‘Gaps’ is a hit… it has given me hope for our future… a future where men and women’s differences are celebrated and not demonized. Reply Al Ream February 25, 2023 I believe Equal Schmequal applies to the realm of athletics where the Title IX mis-advent is producing a Tolkien-esque scenario of Shakespearean humor (but not funny) wherein, to the patient observer, the forces of evil over the decades turn against each other and fall upon each other’s swords. The literary tribe of Naphtali in the Old Testament “won” the Battle of Midian (General Gideon) in a similar manner: foxes tails were lit on fire at night, loud noises were made with clay pots and the Canaanites were confused and killed each other. Point: the true and living God wins in surprising ways. Despair not. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant February 25, 2023 Thank you, Mr. Ream. What a wonderful analysis… I can see your vibrant observations rise before my eyes with a far greater and finer linguistic message than my poem has made, and I love your closing point… a point that blossoms with hope. Thank you very much indeed! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Damian Robin October 5, 2022 Love um all. Magical. Deftly dealing with gender stealing and and the male-ma’am mishmash. Brings to mind the ideas here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZzu0hyDdNI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmKrEil9-Ag incidentally (or maybe not incidentally, but it’s about the characters of Rocky Balboa and butch Sylvester Stallone) another of Balboa’s speeches is quoted in the full version of Piers Morgan’s interview with Jorden Peterson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpnvGA-wJIE Magnificent, Susan. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 5, 2022 Damian, thank you very much for your perspicacious and encouraging comment together with the links. I am a fan of Jordan Peterson and will definitely be watching this interview later. He has done much to encourage the downtrodden young men who have now been assigned to an “incel” pigeonhole… how cruel! We are now living in an insane world where traditional masculinity is frowned upon to the point that men are obsolete unless they’re transgender, the term ‘woman’ is riddled with confusion and both men and women (I mean this in the biological sense and shouldn’t even have to spell it out, but sadly, it’s necessary) are suffering horribly for it… not to mention the damage inflicted upon our children in the name of “gender affirming care.” I wanted to write poems that spell out the idiocy of gender identity and fluidity while giving some much-needed praise to our differences… I happen to think the differences between men and women are worth celebrating… they’re the reason I got married. 🙂 Reply
Mary Gardner October 5, 2022 Susan, you are an artist with words. What is the poetic form of “Equal Schmequal?” I couldn’t find it with Google. Is it your own creation? Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 5, 2022 Thank you very much, Mary. I wrote another poem using this form. It’s called ‘Backyard Bliss’. I stole it from William Cullen Bryant’s ‘A Song of Pitcairn’s Island’. I think it’s a nonce form. If a form grabs me, I like to try it out for myself. I sometimes just go with the flow and create a nonce form of my own. William Cullen Bryant has done a much better job with his poem than I have with mine… it’s well worth a read, and I am grateful to him for his inspiration… that’s why I always have a poetry book in my hand. 🙂 Reply
Yael October 5, 2022 Lovely social commentary in a brilliantly rhymed format. Combined with warm sunny skies and apple harvest, what more could the Turtletown bard service possibly wish for? My cup runneth over, thank you! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 6, 2022 Yael, your comment has me smiling broadly… I’m glad to keep the Turtletown bard service updated on the insanities of the world… with a huge linguistic grin. The weather sounds gorgeous… I hope it lasts. The hummingbirds are stocking up on syrup before their long flight south, so I’m thoroughly enjoying their exquisite company before they go. Reply
Roy E. Peterson October 5, 2022 Great exposés on the unsavory and hopefully untenable position of gender bending. Besides the extraordinary use of mellifluous words, the piercing, incisive, penetrating warning provided by Cupid in the second poem offers the perfect insight: “Androgynous and docile was her goal. Be careful what you wish for, Cupid sighed. And now she’s with an empathetic soul Who struts his spandex female side with pride…” Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 6, 2022 Roy, I’m glad you enjoyed these poems… what has the world come to?! Let’s hope it turns itself around… soon. Thank you for your lovely comment. Reply
Brian Yapko October 5, 2022 Susan, these three poems on gender roles and, in particular, the devaluation of masculinity, are a riot. Of the three, the sweetest by far is “Gaps” which gives a light description of how the right relationship – complementary qualities, opposing qualities – can make for a complete life for two. It’s not particularly logical (why is she “where and when” while he’s “how and why?”) but sometimes there’s a truth beyond logic and you’ve found it. I especially like the chewiness of the lines “He’s ire and mirth and earth and oak”. And mining the dialog from “Rocky” for poetic inspiration must be a first. There’s a lot more anger in “Equal, Shmequal” and “Battle of the Sexes.” As is often your style, the hilarity in these poems barely masks your superb disdain for the unfortunate object of your attention – here the utter and catastrophic collapse of gender roles into an unholy mish-mosh in which nothing makes sense anymore. A special shout-out for your hilarious lines: “Now brightly shining knights/Won’t kiss a princess in distress./They’re effervescing in a dress.” But you clearly this collapse as the fault of both men and women. Rightly so, I think. Men have given up masculinity, women have encouraged this in the name of equal rights. And the transgender hegemony has created a situation where all bets are off. What kind of circus have we been left with as a result? And how will children ever respect social order if adults cannot? To close, your “Battle of the Sexes” is hilarious – especially Cupid’s sigh while granting that wish for a hairless non-troglodyte. This reminds me of the film “Bedazzled.” Brendan Fraser sells his soul to Elizabeth Hurley as the devil in exchange for three wishes to get the girl of his dreams. Wish number 2 is to be “the most sensitive man in the world.” He becomes a weepy mess who worries desperately about the dolphins being endangered and spouts psychobabble until he drives the girl into the arms of an insensitive but traditional macho dude. Balance matters. And, unfortunately, traditional gender roles won’t be appreciated until they’re lost. Here’s hoping your poetry will prevent that from happening! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 6, 2022 Brian, I love your fine eye for detail, and I’m always overjoyed at the little gems you find in and between the lines. I am all for women’s rights and believe women should be able to vote, have property rights, parental rights, equal pay for equal work, etc. etc. BUT today it seems the world has gone insane in the name of “equal rights” … not all differences are detrimental… many are beautiful. I do believe the problem we have now lies at everyone’s feet. The litmus test for me is, if you’re laughing at a cuckolded, emasculated man in a show or on an advert, would the same attitude be okay if it was a woman? If not, it’s wrong. It’s the same for sports. No biological male should compete against a biological female… it’s unfair. Is all this leading to a world where no one has an identity… we’re just sexless, faceless, hackable animals in a godless present with no past, no future, and no culture? Not on my watch it isn’t! I feel another poem coming on! The Hurley/Fraser film sounds a hoot – and how prophetic. As for the “when and where” and “how and why” … Mike’s definitely a “how and why” and I’m a “when and where”, and it works out perfectly! Brian, thank you very much! Reply
Joshua C. Frank October 5, 2022 Susan, all three are wonderful, but my favorite one is “Gaps.” It shows so beautifully how men and women are made for each other, as opposed to modern culture’s insistence that men are defective women, that being a man is like having a severe disability (such ideas were drummed into my head growing up). The first two are also really good, showing how feminist thought and legislation have naturally led to men trying to become women now that the culture considers it a step up… much to feminists’ dismay. I also love the puns: “winning every cup in women’s sport,” “half-cocked,” “win when they are one,” and so on. If I may get on my own soap box here, the only good thing about the transgender movement is that it’s led radical feminists to be cancelled the way they cancelled everyone who believed in traditional gender roles! Although, I don’t think even feminists truly want “a guy who’d cry at chick-flicks without shame.” Studies show that the more a married couple embraces traditional gender roles, the more they embrace each other in more intimate ways: https://joshchristophersen.com/married-couples-with-traditional-gender-roles-have-more-sex/ https://mercatornet.com/more-traditional-gender-roles-more-sex/21247/ One only needs to read my poetry to see why more is at stake here than just a little pleasure… Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Josh, thank you very much for your astute comment and the links which hold up exactly what today’s destructive ideology is trying to eradicate. I am fed up with living in a world where differences in men and women are seen as flaws and not celebrated in full. I believe women have suffered too. Many are carrying all the weight because men have been rendered obsolete. Women have been told for years they can do it all alone, men are not needed… and just look around at the fatherless homes and the misguided youth… all by design. Something needs to change, and I think respect for one another’s differences is where it’s at, which is why I’m thrilled you like ‘Gaps’. Reply
Shaun C. Duncan October 5, 2022 Magnificent as always, Susan. “Muscly mademoiselle” and “herculean jezebel” are both delightful turns of phrase in their own right but also work beautifully as a rhyming pair. I particularly like the way you approach these sets too – each piece stands well on its own but they also build and at points contrast off each other to explore the subject matter from a variety of angles. “Gaps” works well on its own but it’s more powerful when read immediately after the other two. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Shaun, thank you so much for your wonderful observations. I had a little snigger when I chose those rhyming combinations… I love the sound and image they create… an image that is forced upon us as ‘normal’ – I wanted to stress that it isn’t normal… poetically, of course. I’m beginning to think that ‘Gaps’ is such a hit because it expresses a beautiful truth that has been trampled all over by those who want to pit human beings against each other to make them easier to control. Reply
Norma Pain October 5, 2022 All three poems are amazing Susan. I have to say that I am finding all of this gender-bender stuff very confusing. I can only begin to imagine how young people are managing to navigate their way through the madness. Nothing is making sense any more. Thank you Susan. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Norma, I’m glad you like the poems – thank you! Your confusion surrounding the gender idiocy is again, by design. There are big bucks being made at the expense of children’s confusion at the moment, confusion which is leaving them sterile, mutilated and depressed. I am certain every child going through puberty suffers with image problems, self-esteem problems, and confusion, and I am certain the vast majority get over it in their own time. Let’s hope that a little bit of poetry on these subjects will make a big difference. Reply
Anna J. Arredondo October 6, 2022 I agree with Shaun that “Gaps” is even more powerful when it follows the first two. All three are well-written, but I don’t *enjoy* the first two so much because the topic is so maddening and distasteful. But after reading them, I sure did so enjoy “Gaps”! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Anna, thank you very much for your comment. I agree with you – the first two are not as enjoyable, which is why I ended on a smile with ‘Gaps’. As far as the topic being “maddening and distasteful”, you are so right. I often sit down to write about the sun, the moon, and the stars and my insistent Muse leads me in another direction entirely… I don’t know how long this will last, but I am powerless to resist. Please bear with me, my talented fellow poet, there will be some glimmers of beauty amid the slag heap of harsh reality… I promise. 🙂 Reply
Anna J. Arredondo October 9, 2022 Susan, I loved your reply. I have much to say and much logic to invoke on a number of maddening topics, but if I try to versify my thoughts, my Muse runs away screaming, ears covered, and I am left with clunky and inelegant lines! I appreciate the skill and clarity with which you address the topics of your Muse’s insistence.Since I can’t avoid hearing of the atrocities and absurdities that run rampant in society these days, at least I can read about them from your pen — far more enjoyable then the “news”. Your recent caper into the clouds reassured me that there will be these glimmers of beauty to take our eyes off the slag heap of reality now and then. I look forward to more!
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 12, 2022 Anna, I’m glad to hear your Muse is as rebellious as mine… I wanted to write a poem about the moon… and well… you know the rest, darn it!! Brace yourself! 🙂
Paul Freeman October 6, 2022 I’m a ‘Gaps’ man, too. I was reminded by it, not only of the poem / song / nursery rhyme ‘What are Little Girls (and Boys) made of?’, but of Charles Aznavour’s classic song ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls’, which alas would probably fall victim to the current climate of deliberate misinterpretation and be passed over for something more sanitised and unmemorable. Thanks for the reads, Susan. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 I’m glad to hear you’re a ‘Gaps’ man, Paul… Gaps is where it’s at! Thank you very much for your comment… it’s made me nostalgic. Reply
Jeff Eardley October 7, 2022 Great stuff again Susan. I assume the target is Lia Thomas but I may be wrong. Thanks for many great lines. “Demon genes of troglodyte descent” applies to most of my friends. As Kinks Ray Davies said, back in 1970, “Girls will be boys and boys will be girls, it’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up World.” He was years ahead of his time with “Lola.” Just off to dust off the Spandex before the next gig as I recall the famous last words of mincing comic, Larry Grayson…”Shut that lid.” Reply
Joshua C. Frank October 7, 2022 Jeff, I think you’re missing the point of that line. The phrase “troglodyte descent” (as I understand it) is articulating the feminist view that men are “less evolved” than women, just as white racists think about black people, in order to write against it. (This, in fact, is one of the biggest problems with believing in evolution; it easily lends itself to the belief that some kinds of people are “more evolved” than others.) Similarly, “demon genes” is meant to articulate the view that male-specific genes are inherently evil, that men are fallen angels like Satan while women are conceived without original sin like the Virgin Mary. The very language points out that it’s a demonization of males. For a man to agree with it is quite troublesome. I’m assuming you would take offense if someone said that about women, or any specific race, so why is it all right to say that about men? Maybe your friends are like animals or devils (in which case I would suggest finding new friends and backing away from these before they corrupt you), but what you’re saying sounds as though you think it’s because they’re male, that men are to women as chimpanzees and gorillas are to humans or devils are to angels. I think others are going to understand it in the same way, so if I’m wrong, please let us all know. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Josh, you are spot on with your analysis. I firmly believe men have been put down for years. We all know what the outcome would be if I used such language to describe women, and that is my entire point… equality isn’t equality in the divisive and hypocritical world we live in… it’s one rule for men and one for women, one rule for black and one rule for white, one rule for the vaccinated and one for the unvaccinated, and on and on we go, and the whole globe has gone tits up… do excuse the expression. I cannot help adding a bit of humor. Which is where Jeff comes in with his British sarcasm… the British (those of us still left with a sense of humor) thrive on sarcasm. I’m certain Jeff knows men have been emasculated (one only has to watch a British advert or sitcom to see it) and his comment is tongue-in-cheek… if it isn’t, I think his friends may abandon him. 😉
Joshua C. Frank October 7, 2022 Ah, I see. I had no idea it was humor. That kind of humor goes over my head without the sarcastic tone. Thanks for explaining it.
Jeff Eardley October 7, 2022 Joshua, the ladies over here are always grateful for we men when the car breaks down or you need someone to tile the bathroom. We still (at least some of us of a certain age) have the greatest regard for our wives/partners/spouses. Thank you for your clinical analysis of my comment which was just a bit of fun from over here where we need all the help we can get now that we have an unelected mad woman in charge of our nation. I will pass on your remarks to my friends. They are an amazing bunch, although one or two have a strange resemblance to Cro-Magnon man. As we say over here, “I am the boss in this house, and I have my wife’s permission to say so.” Best wishes to you.
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 Jeff, I’m glad you enjoyed these. Thank you! The target wasn’t Lia Thomas (a pawn in a cruel power game), but the insidious ideology that has nothing to do with equality and everything to do with divisiveness leading to the extinction of the traditional male and a world in which no one knows what a woman is. What’s happened!? As a fellow Brit, I know and appreciate your humor… I believe Larry Grayson would be shutting that door firmly on the weird world we live in today, and Everard would have gone into shock! Reply
Dan Ward October 7, 2022 Loved these poems, particularly “Gaps”. And, thanks for the tip on A Song of Pitcairn’s Island. Reply
David Watt October 7, 2022 These three poems are highly enjoyable. The delightful way in which “Gaps” demonstrates the complementary nature of the sexes makes this piece my favorite. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 7, 2022 David, thank you very much for your comment. I am thrilled ‘Gaps’ is a hit… it has given me hope for our future… a future where men and women’s differences are celebrated and not demonized. Reply
Al Ream February 25, 2023 I believe Equal Schmequal applies to the realm of athletics where the Title IX mis-advent is producing a Tolkien-esque scenario of Shakespearean humor (but not funny) wherein, to the patient observer, the forces of evil over the decades turn against each other and fall upon each other’s swords. The literary tribe of Naphtali in the Old Testament “won” the Battle of Midian (General Gideon) in a similar manner: foxes tails were lit on fire at night, loud noises were made with clay pots and the Canaanites were confused and killed each other. Point: the true and living God wins in surprising ways. Despair not. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant February 25, 2023 Thank you, Mr. Ream. What a wonderful analysis… I can see your vibrant observations rise before my eyes with a far greater and finer linguistic message than my poem has made, and I love your closing point… a point that blossoms with hope. Thank you very much indeed! Reply
