Poetry: Lois Keith

Another poem on disability, written by Lois Keith:

Tomorrow I Am Going To
Re-write The English Language

Tomorrow I am going to rewrite the English language
I will discard all those striving ambulist metaphors
Of power and success
And construct new images to describe my strength.
My new, different strength.

Then I won't have to feel dependent
Because I can't Stand On My Own Two Feet.
And I will refuse to feel a failure
Because I didn't Stay One Step Ahead.
I won't feel inadequate
When I don't Stand Up For Myself.
Or Illogical because I cannot
Just Take It One Step At A Time.

I will make them understand that it is a very male way
To describe the world
All this Walking Tall
And Making Great Strides.

Yes tomorrow I am going to rewrite the English language
Creating the world in my own image.
Mine will be a gentler more womanly way
To desrcibe my progress
I will wheel, cover, and encircle.

Somehow I will learn to say it all.