When Someone Says... (D4)

When someone says we are saying the same thing

Say we are not saying the same thing

When someone says don’t question just have faith

say I am questioning Vato and I have supreme faith in what I think

when someone says don’t defy my authority

say there is a higher authority that I am following

when someone says your ideas are seductive

say no my ideas are not seductive they are substantial

when someone says your ideas are dangerous

say yes, yes my ideas are dangerous and why are you so afraid

when it is said  it’s just not done

say it will be done

when it is said it is immature

say all life begins small and must be allowed to grow

when it is said it’s not well thought out

say it is well thought out

when they say you’re overreacting

say you’re under-reacting

when they say you’re being emotional

say of course I have well placed emotions and by the way what happened to yours

when they say you’re not making any sense

say i am making sense

when they say I can’t understand you when you’re crying

say make no mistake I can weep and be fierce at the same time

when someone says I can’t understand you when you’re being so angry

say you couldn’t hear me when I was being nice and sweet and kind either

when someone says you’re missing the point

say I am not missing the point, but you seem to be missing my point

when someone says you’re breaking the rules

say yes I’m breaking the rules

when someone says that’s not practical

say it’s practically a done deal, thank you very much

when it is said no one will do it, believe you or follow it

say I will do it, I will believe in it and in time many will follow it

and when it is said no one wants to listen to that

say I know you have a hard time listening to that

when it is said it’s a closed system and you can’t change it

say ok I am going to knock twice and if there is no answer I’m gonna to blow the doors off

when it is said they’ll ignore you

say they won’t ignore me and the hundreds of thousands of people that stand with me

when they say it’s already been done

say it’s not been done well enough

when they say it’s not time

say it’s way past time

when they say it’s not the right day, not the right month, not the right year

tell them the right year was last year, the right month was last month and the right day was yesterday

and what is going to happen because they’re running behind schedule

when they say who do you think you are

tell them, and don’t hold back

when they say I put up with it you’ll have to put up with it too

say no, no no no

when they say I’ve suffered a long time and you’ll have to suffer too

say no.no, no, no

when they say you are an incorrigible, defiant, hard to get along with unreasonable woman

say yes, yes, yes , yes

and I have worse news for you yet

we are teaching our daughters, and our mothers and our sisters

we are teaching our sons and our fathers and our brothers to be just like us.

~Poem by Clarrisa Pinkola Estaves, (How to Silence a Woman Retrieving Her Voice)