This is another version of the poem “At Home“, with an alternate ending.
At home,
Her brother washed the cars, and did the weeding.
He was in charge of the hard work and heavy lifting.
The girls in the house were relegated to the background,
They did the washing, cleaning, and cooking.
Mama said that was how it should be.
Papa had a high-ranking job in the big company,
He made a lot of money,
Paid the bills, paid their fees, fed and clothed them.
Mama only had the little kiosk down the road,
She made enough money to cover some petty purchases,
And school-lunch money for the children.
She was indirectly taught,
That a man, and only a man,
Should be the head, and major breadwinner,
While a woman simply provided support.
Then,
In school,
Only a boy could be the Head Prefect.
Only a boy could be the Labor Prefect.
Only a boy could be the Class Captain.
Girls were relegated, yet again, to the background,
With posts of Dining Prefect, and Assistant Class Captain.
She was indirectly taught,
That only a boy was strong enough
To lead, and do the tough work.
Now,
At work,
‘Oga’ is hesitant to give her the promotion,
A promotion she is over-qualified for,
Only because she is a woman.
She has been told
That a woman cannot lord over so many men.
She hates this,
She hates everything.
She always has, always will.
Is she any less of a person because she is a woman?
She’s scared.
Is this the world her daughter will live in?
A world that berates and belittles her existence,
Only because she is a woman.
She rebukes it.
She will never be like Mama.
She will never teach her daughter
To be okay with sitting in the back seat.
She will let her daughter know,
Not only by telling her, but also by showing her,
That the world is hers to conquer.
With this in her heart,
She matches into ‘Oga’s office.
That promotion would be hers.
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