I Am A Womanist Not A Feminist Poem by Arnee Akpan

A Woman, who is she?



Listen! Listen! ! Listen! ! !
Can your ears accept that voice from the inner room where a Man in white says push! ! !
Listen because that voice shall not be turned off like the old rusty stereo in your yard.
That new glowing flame, shall not be put out like the candle's lit.
Listen! Listen! ! Listen! ! !



To you who thinks she belongs in the smoke kingdom and the other room where moans of your pleasure and of her pains are on repeat mode,
Listen! Listen! ! Listen! ! !
Forgive me if my poor oration,
May not cause an ovation,
Or stir your Soul but I hope it sets your Heart on a new direction.


Listen! Listen! ! Listen! ! !
Let me tell you some tales,
That may sound like fables,
From the cook's stable.
Your hands romances her skin roughly adding a new color to her alabaster like flesh,
Oh! Listen!
As my words tries to incite your sight and takes you to the site,
A tour to the Island of revolution.
A movement where her fierce nature,
More dangerous than a fattening tigeress
A call where she is all in one,
Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Hera, Persephone, Celestia,
More and More and More controlling the fate of the Universe.


Shall my aimful lyrics try to show you how powerful she is.
'Woman ' 'Female'
Mathematically, subtract 'Wo' from Woman and 'Fe' from Female, you will be left with her masculinity.
'Wo' and 'Fe' only adds Love to her nature,
It makes her more unique and stronger with her abilities to endure not you but the Society,
She is the complete YOU.
You say she's not the main character of the Society,
Yes it's true, you are damn true about it,
She's not the main character of the Society because she's the real character of the Environment.


A heroine, accomplishes great things but the trademark of weakness still exists,
So a wise being called her a She-roe because greatness is her and the epitome and backbone of the Society she is.
Don't get my ink twisted, I am not amongst her Warriors
But I respect her monthly cramps.


As I wrap up my lyrics from my playbook not of rap,
I am not a feminist because it only reminds me of her weaknesses and struggles trying to be accepted by YOU...
I am a womanist,
So open not with your ears but widen your hearts and accept the truth,
I stand with her,
I am a womanist not a feminist.


Listen! Listen! ! Listen to the gong of truth! ! !