Friday, February 10, 2017

Poetry Friday -- Girl Power


photo via unsplash


They Can't Shut Us All Up

They can shut me up
but they can't change the truth--
I'm Rosa and Hillary, Malala and Ruth.

They can silence my voice
but I'll lead and you'll follow--
I'm Keller and Earhart, Cleopatra and Kahlo.

We rivet and code,
we teach and we heal,
orbit Earth, win Nobels,
go to prison for ideals.

They can't shut us all up
and they can't change what's true--
we're here to write history in PINK, not in blue.


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2017




This is a poem for Laura Shovan's Annual February Writing Project. The words/phrases for this poem

they
can
shut
me
up
but
they
can't
change
the 
truth

originated here.


Katie has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at The Logonauts.


29 comments:

  1. Girl Power indeed! I love all the names in this poem and esp. the line "We rivet and code." Powerful words! Thank you.

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  2. Amen! Thank you. This one's for the girls...Never shut up! Persist. X

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  3. Amen! Thank you. This one's for the girls...Never shut up! Persist. X

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  4. Oh, Mary Lee, this one's a keeper. Sharing it now on FB!

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  5. I love all the amazing women you include in this poem. They cannot shut us all up, no way, no how.

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  6. Absolutely. They cannot shut us up. We will persist, just as those brave women before us did.

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  7. This seriously needs to go viral, Mary Lee.

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  8. "I'll lead and you follow"-- okay, Mary Lee, lead on!

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  9. Well said, Mary Lee! Onward in pink!

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  10. I love thinking of myself as one of this amazing group of women. I am adding Elizabeth to my list.

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  11. Not shutting up...we will persist!

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  12. Love this one--especially the lists of names and the lists of deeds. Viva la resistance!

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  13. Well done. We come from a strong line! Love that ending!

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  14. Oh my gosh, this is just beautiful. Love it!

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  15. It's just right, Mary Lee, a poem for a poster?

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  16. Wonderful! May I share with my students writing about girl's education?

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  17. Anonymous6:24 AM

    Bravo, Mary Lee! "They can't change what's true." Girls rule!

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  18. I added a comment to your other blog, but let me say again, this is absolutely perfect!

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  19. Wow, Mary Lee - another winner! & Amen.

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  20. Very clever how the names are woven so seamlessly into this, Mary Lee.

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  21. Put this on
    a poster, a postcard, the Metro, the bus
    Wherever they go, they will hear US!

    Perfect indeed. May I borrow and share among the feisty women at school?

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  22. I loved it when I first saw it, and I still do! You/we are smoking!

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  23. Mary Lee,

    I heard you might not have received a copy of THINGS TO DO yet. I tried to email you but it bounced back. I had asked Chronicle to send you a copy of my book months ago. I'll email Chronicle tomorrow to see what the holdup is.

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  24. This is one of my favorites, Mary Lee. I loved this particular 10 word challenge, but also your poem! The invocation of names is a powerful chant for feminism.

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  25. This read showed some amount of determination that as individuals we all should have. I would use this poem to encourage my students especially boys that irrespective of the odd they can achieve their goals and make a change in our education system and society on a whole.

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