FORTY WINKS

RISE, MY TRIBE,  Hold my hand, take me along, and pick me up when I fall.  Roar hard when I charge to break the glass ceiling,  Be the comrade I can count on, saber to walk through obscure days.  And on those quiet nights, a salve to alleviate my pain. It isn't  time yet to raise a toast  to celebrate the hustle of  mothers, sisters, and daughters alike.  The clinking of glasses got to wait.  From the depths of slumber, I march on to awaken the latent feminism.  Of dismayed mothers feeling flawed for not birthing a son.  For she is a progeny, too.  Of braggart aunties who could have more than one.  For male is but a gender.  A highheaded senior relative quizzed about how she could afford an original Fendi.  For she, too, earns.  Of daughter's friends gauging their worth on the scale of pulchritude,  For looks only last for a while.  Of spiteful co–sisters ridiculing the new bride in the kitchen....

Yay, yay, yay, it's the 8th of March! My FB profile is updated & Whatsapp has changed. Send forwarded re forwarded re forwarded messages, wishing everyone a Happy Women's Day! Adrenaline is rushing through me, and  I've been waiting for weeks to flaunt those Zara dresses with mineral makeup in place. So much to do and so little time . I will probably skip the seminar on domestic violence and visit the rehab center, too! To attend a jewelry exhibition and have a free Mexican lunch. An all-women club social in the evening is where I want to win free passes to the movie Pink! Excuse me, what did u just say? How different is this Women's Day from the last several ones? Did I cheer, inspire, or promote at least one of my tribe? But why should I even try? I didn't spend my husband's money on grooming sessions for ground-level work. For that is the job of AN AVERAGE WOMAN!