Rita Ann Higgins
Woman's Inhumanity to Woman
Woman's Inhumanity to Woman
(Galway Labour Exchange)
And in this cage, ladies and gentlemen,
we have the powers that be.
Powder power,
lipstick power,
pencil power,
paper power,
cigarette in the left-hand power,
raised right of centre half-plucked eyebrow,
Cyclops power,
big tits power,
piercing eyes power,
filed witches' nails power,
I own this building power,
I own you power,
fear of the priest power,
fear of the Black 'n' Tans power.
Your father drank too much power,
your sister had a baby when she was fifteen power,
where were you last night power,
upstairs in your house is dirty power,
the state of your hotpress power,
the state of your soul power,
keep door closed power,
keep eyes closed power,
no smoking power,
money for the black babies power,
queue only here power,
sign only there power,
breathe only when I tell you power.
No pissing on the staff power,
jingle of keys power,
your brother signs and works power,
ye have a retarded child power,
you sign and work power,
look over vour shoulder power,
spy in the sky power,
spy in the toilet power,
fart in front of a bishop power.
Apologise for your mother’s colour hair power,
Apologise for your father’s maiden name power,
Apologise for being born power.
