The Year of the Damsel | Teen Ink

The Year of the Damsel

February 1, 2010
By midnight_compositions SILVER, Portland, Oregon
midnight_compositions SILVER, Portland, Oregon
6 articles 5 photos 19 comments

Favorite Quote:
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." - Gandhi


I was born with independence
Thick and stubborn in my head
But now, in the year of the damsel,
It might as well be dead
My fellow girls are different
Feeble-minded, starry-eyed
They wait up in their towers
For some prince to hear their cries

Their lips want only kisses
Not power, words, or voice
They dream solely of romance
Never victory or choice
They depend upon their boyfriends
Never their own common sense
They see themselves as lovely
Though all they really are is dense

They aspire to be princesses
Enslaved by Charming’s smile
The love songs they find moving
My ears hear as fake and vile
Their ball and chain seems weightless
Just as long as they’re desired
And in their code of honor
Upmost weakness is required

What happened to self-sufficiency?
The strength of womankind?
Our eyes used to be open
What caused us to go blind?
My feet don’t fit the slippers
I’m not the fairest in the land
But when it comes to damsels
I know exactly where I stand


The author's comments:
I wrote this based on a letter to the editor that I wrote to the newspaper. The original article was about how the damsel-in-distress female stereotype is making a comeback; I agree with the author of the article and, frankly, it drives me nuts. Come on, girls! We don't need princes to solve all our problems for us!

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