Suffragette | Teen Ink

Suffragette

January 2, 2009
By Anonymous

I'll tell you a story, a story of hell
As I sit in the corner of my prison cell
It concerns the franchise, which we women must get
And that's why I'm in jail: I am a Suffragette
We've fought for the vote now for so many days
And we fight all the obstacles barring our ways
Asquith makes the vote impossible to win
He comes down on us so hard it makes my head spin
But we all fight on through the blood, scars and pain
Whilst making sure everyone knows of our aim.
But the force feeding law makes me feel sick with fear,
Just then I hear footsteps - oh my God! They're here!
The cell door creaks open, the doctor approaches,
Behind me I hear the squeak of cockroaches
The nurse pins me down, the tears flow from my eyes
She covers my mouth just to stifle my cries.
The doctor has the tube, stuffs it down my throat
As I struggle to breathe, not to cry, not to choke
It's suddenly over, the warden looks in
He knows what took place and cracks into a grin
My breathing is laboured, my body feels week
But I'll keep fighting on just to get what I seek
The Suffragette movement will fight on because
No man that there is, there will be or was
Across Great Britain, in each city and town
Is ever going to bring us down.

The author's comments:
When I was 13, we studied the Suffragettes in history, and I have always felt we owe a lot to them. I even went as Emmeline Pankhurst for a school debate (and won!) The Suffragettes are an inspiration in determination.

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Salsa123 said...
on May. 4 2013 at 12:26 pm
This is an absoloutely amazing poem, truly expressing the emotions of a suffragette, their determination and strife to succeed. I love this well done!