Like red blood cells,
women’s equality
flows through Alice Paul’s veins,
her pulse beat
a women’s right to vote,
her fervor, women’s equality
Holding banners,
suffragists stand
outside the White House:
“Mr. President How Long Must
Women Wait for Liberty.”
Dragged through the streets
thrown into a police truck
locked in a cold cell, limp
charged with a traffic violation
She refuses to eat
moved to a psychiatric cell
stretched on the floor
joints aching, limp
she loses weight, not will or wit
Tubes and raw eggs
forced down her sore throat,
she bleeds, vomits
loses weight, not will or wit
Her voice raises, echoes
pieces ears, hypocrisy
defender of world freedom
denies women justice at home
Arrests, jail time, force feedings,
marches, demonstrations
captures front page news
President Wilson, at last
hears, announces support for
women’s suffrage
The Nineteenth Amendment
enacted August 26, 1920, her
mind marches on, she pens
the Equal Rights Amendment, works
for fair employment practices,
until her last breath.
Posthumously, Alice Paul
is inducted into the
National Hall of Fame
Her voice and deeds live on in
our mind, hearts and life.
The writer resides in Del Ray.