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Poem: I Have A
Right...
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April 26, 2006
This is a woman's poetic protest to her husband... She practices what she asks for. Thank you and may God bless you and yours. Dr. Irene I have a right to a good life
You don't have a right
I have a right
To show that your interests or
activities To be number ONE
Are more important than me or
mine In my partners
life
That's not showing that you love
me
You don't have a right
I have a right to be
To expect me to hear all you have to
say Heard, listened to,
treated
And imply that you are bored with what I have to
say Like my feelings and opinions matter
And not be patronized
You have a right, but it's uncaring and
mean, I have a right
To send me off into the dark without
To feel safe, protected
Making sure that I'm
safe And
loved by you
How can you love me if you don't care?
You don't have a right
I have a right to
To try to make me feel bad or guilty
(And I have)
Even if you feel bad about
yourself A clear conscience
You don't have a
right I
have a right
To keep me from my friends and
family To like and
socialize with
Or to fight with me before I see
them Whomever I want
Even if you don't like them
If you love
me
you'll come along
And be nice
You don't have a
right I
have a right
to be condescending towards
me To be human and to make
mistakes
If I make a mistake (or any other
reason) And apologize ONLY if I
think I should
You don't have a
right I
have a right
to make fun of me or mimic
me To be treated
as an intelligent person
even if you think what I say is
stupid (which I am)
You don't have a
right I
have a right
to yell at me or embarrass me in front
of To feel comfortable around
you,
Co-workers, friends, family OR people I don't
know With or without others around
Even if you think it's "not a big deal"
And I am not "overreacting"
You don't have a
right I
have a right
To make jokes to humiliate me and hurt my
feelings To my confidence
Even if you are "only
kidding" Do
you want to take it
From me,
Because you need it for you?
You don't have a right I have a right
to throw away my things without my
permission To choose what I will keep
Even if I left them out too long
Or discard
You don't have a
right I
have a right
To break things that I care
about To know that my
belongings will be
Even if you want
my attention Handled
carefully and replaced if broken
You don't have a right
I have a right
To stand there and say
nothing To have
a Partner who stands by me
If our kids are being disrespectful to
me It teaches Our
Children boundaries
Even if you think I'm wrong It teaches them Love, Commitment,
Partnership and Respect.
It teaches them how to have
a lasting relationship
It makes
them feel secure. It makes me feel secure.
You don't have a
right I
have a right
To look for things to say to hurt
me To have a partner
because you resent my happiness or
success Who is proud of me
You don't have a
right I
have a right
to be rude to me, tell me to get
out To be treated as you
would a friend
Or ignore
me
Am I not more important to you
Even if you're in a bad mood
Than your
friends?
You don't have a right to manipulate me
You don't have a
right I
have a right
to pressure me to have
sex To have a
lover
Even if you are mad that I
haven't Who wants to
make love to me
"Given it to you" in a
while And
makes me want to make love
You don't have a
right I
have a right
To blow up at me if I tell you what bothers
me To get mad and tell you why
You don't have a
right I
have a right
to call me horrible names or swear at
me To always be treated with
respect
even if you think I "deserve
it" Even if
you think I "don't deserve it"
You don't have a right to threaten
me I have a right
No matter how much you need to be in control
To control what I do
I have a right to make my own decisions about me and my life
You don't have a right
I have a right
to throw things at me or in my
direction To be treated
respectfully
Even if you are angry at
me ALWAYS
You don't have a right to lunge at me and to scare
me I have a right
Even if you think I'm
annoying To feel safe
You don't have a
right I
have a right
To hit me or push me, purposely or "accidentally" To BE
safe and to be treated
With objects, your fists, arms,
feet Respectfully.
ALWAYS.
or any part of your body
It
is not O.K. to abuse me
You don't have a right to hurt
me Even if it's not too often
Even if you just hate me today
It is not
O.K. if you've had a bad day
Even if you've had a bad
childhood It is
not O.K. if you are in a bad mood
mood
Or have had too much to drink
It is not O.K. if you think I deserve it
IT IS NOT O.K. EVER. FOR ANY REASON.
It's cowardly
- Susan
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