Nineteenth Century Woman

They gave her two options -
get married or go hungry
her preffered option was neither,
but at least it wasn’t
sink or swim
and then be burned at the stake.

So she married him,
cooked his dinners
darned his clothes
loved his children
soothed his woes

She did as was expected -
was pampered and protected
She wasn’t given any reason -
was battered and beaten
She was told to never leave
wasn’t sure what to believe

So she left him
left his demands
walked city streets
shocked their morals
became a whore

She lived as a single woman,
the life of independent starvation
She spent cold nights on the street
avoided the police on their beat
She changed her name to her own
but on her grave it says ‘unknown’

So she disgraced him
showing no respect
dying oh so single
nourished by neglect
but she died on her feet

They gave her two options
be imprisoned or be free
her preference wasn’t either
but she didn't really have a choice
she couldn't stay with respectability