What About the Men?

By Phyllis Wax

 

A new drug for menopause
is being hailed as a godsend
for a condition many women endure
in silence. Thing is,
it costs $550 a month.

And, unfortunately, hot flashes (hot flashes!)
are among the most common side effects.
They say it could also be toxic to the liver
or affect the kidneys,
and who knows what it will do
to heart, bones, sex drive, mood or weight.
Still, how wonderful this drug could be.

But why focus only on menopause? And women?
What about the mood swings, eruptions of anger,
the gun-toting rampages afflicting so many men?
Could this be undiagnosed testosterone poisoning?
When will Big Pharma turn its attention
to this as yet unrecognized condition?

Think of it—if medicine can help these men,
not only will their lives be better,
it’ll be the end of
mass shootings, murder
and domestic abuse.

Help women, yes.
But let’s hear it for equal treatment for men.

 


Poet Phyllis Wax writes in Milwaukee on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Social issues are a major focus, but she is also inspired by nature and human nature. Among the anthologies and journals in which her poetry has appeared are Feral, The Widows’ Handbook, Writers Resist, Jerry Jazz Musician, Rise Up Review, Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, Peacock Journal, Wordpeace, New Verse News, Portside, and Your Daily Poem. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, the Best of the Net, and Bettering American Poetry anthologies.

Image credit: “Mr. Goodbar,” 2007, by Rinaldo Frattolillo, under “Fair Use” for commentary.


A note from Writers Resist

Thank you for reading! If you appreciate creative resistance and would like to support it, you can make a small, medium or large donation to Writers Resist from our Give a Sawbuck page.

 

Scheherazade

By Phyllis Wax

 

The tales she told
night after night
for a thousand and one nights—
fascinating enough
to keep the king entranced
and to save herself from beheading.

But bedtime stories from today’s Persia,
women targeted like wild game—
pheasants or pigeons, squirrels, rabbits—
men taking aim
at faces, breasts, genitals
to cause maximum pain,
birdshot pellets maiming those most tender,
most sensitive spots,
the parts men seem to like best

Who is listening
to these tales?

 


Social issues are a major focus of Milwaukee poet Phyllis Wax, but she is also inspired by nature and human nature. She has read in coffee houses, bars, libraries and on the radio. Among the anthologies and journals in which her poetry has appeared are: Feral, The Widows’ Handbook, Writers Resist, Jerry Jazz Musician, Rise Up Review, Spillway, Peacock Journal, Surreal Poetics, Naugatuck River Review, New Verse News, Portside, Your Daily Poem. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, as well as the Best of the Net and Bettering American Poetry anthologies. Reach her at poetwax38@gmail.com.

Photo credit: “Iran Protests” by Taymaz Valley via a Creative Commons license.


A note from Writers Resist

Thank you for reading! If you appreciate creative resistance and would like to support it, you can make a small, medium or large donation to Writers Resist from our Give a Sawbuck page.

America Cares . . . Thoughts & Prayers

By Phyllis Wax

 

Fly the flag at half-mast
all the time

because every day,
someone kills himself
or someone else
or a bunch of someones

with a gun.

Fly the flag at half-mast
because America loves guns

more than she loves people.

 


Social issues are a major focus of Milwaukee poet Phyllis Wax. Among the anthologies and journals in which her poetry has appeared are: Rhino, The Widows’ Handbook, Birdsong, Spillway, Peacock Journal, Surreal Poetics, Naugatuck River Review, New Verse News, Portside, Star 82 Review. She has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, as well as the Best of the Net and Bettering American Poetry anthologies. You can reach her at: poetwax38@gmail.com.

Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue via a Creative Commons license.


A note from Writers Resist:

Thank you for reading! If you appreciate creative resistance and would like to support it, you can make a small, medium or large donation to Writers Resist from our Give a Sawbuck page.