I have lived through bra-less days,
Burning the Berlei, feeding a babe
From an unsupported breast,
All of this egged on by a female eunuch,
One embittered woman with her own agenda
To free woman, or was it to destroy man;
Men, to whom she could not relate,
Or know there can be an equality, in difference.

Thirty years later, the refrain of the Free,
"We've been duped they say, we are tired;
We have worked long and hard, with material gains,
We have 'rushed-up' a family, now they have gone,
Gone before our hopes of relaxing with them,
Of enjoying their zest, their humour,
Of knowing their dreams."

Gone also the crafts passed down from our mothers,
The sewing, the quilting, the yarning,
The telling of tales over the back fence,
The sense of community, the strongly knit family.
Was it so bad, is it gone forever?

Our daughters did not learn these crafts,
We were too busy fitting in a career,
Their ballet, their extra physics,
A sense of family - what is that for them?
When an occasional partner or a sperm bank will do.

But forget about them, what about us,
With our sagging breasts a`la Germaine.
Are we happier, more fulfilled than
Our corset-clad mothers?

There is still time left to indulge ourselves,
To read, to paint, to internet,
To enjoy our family and our families family,
To ignore the demon golf, or the 4WD
Taking us into another round of frenetic activity,
(Though for some this is a form of escape.)

I'm pleased I didn't burn my bra!

Cammeray March 2000

©fmc Frances Coll 15-11-07