On Being Asked to Write a Poem Praising Gender

Can't do it really. Gender

is necessary of course

so that sperm can meet egg

to continue the human race

(the value of that debatable)

and cause for gladness, if

you're glad to be here (I am)

and glad we're all here, which,

as I said, is debatable, but

if the rest of you weren't,

I'd be lonely – so, OK.

But praiseworthy? Not as

a thing in itself; after all,

it just is. 'Praise God,

from whom all blessings flow'?

Well, I guess it's a fairly nifty

piece of creation, and

brings with it pleasure, or 

the chance of; so again, OK.

But really, how to go on?

I praise the man who is strong,

the woman who is gentle.

I praise the man who is gentle,

the woman who is strong. 

I praise the nurturing man, and woman;

and the courageous woman, and man.

I praise the kind mother

and the kind father;

the protective father 

and the lioness mother.

I praise intelligence

wherever I find it, in whatever

shape of body – it's useful

and makes life interesting.

And I praise goodness of heart

in any man, woman or child,

or animal. These qualities don't sit

between our legs, nor on

our chromosomes. I praise the wealth

of possibilities in being human.

For Poets United's Midweek Motif ~ Gender