so many things expected of me

i must be smart enough to succeed

and yet not smart enough to exceed

the common man

i must remain pure

innocent as a youngling

and yet not innocent enough to be appealing

to the common man

i am given all my rights

constantly scolded to be grateful

and yet they remain hateful

to the common woman

i must be quiet

out of sight and out of mind

and yet they remain unkind

to the common woman

i ask the common man

what more they expect

what it will take for respect

is it earned? is it given?

neither, the fission

between man and woman

is as certain

as it was a hundred years ago