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Critical Analysis #2
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Salooma
Senior Member
since 2000-01-28
Posts 781


0 posted 2002-05-03 11:45 PM


Just Another Woman

Her heart’s been broken by a million men.
Her pride’s been shattered too.
She’s old, she’s tired, she’s angry,
Cause the world ignores her cries.
The world forgets her pain.
To them she’s just another woman.

Her arms have hugged the defeated, the dying.
Her face is stained with blood.
Her heart is stung with the bullets of words,
Her body suffers the pain of anger.
Yet she still endures,
But to many she’s just another woman.

Her eyes have seen too much hatred,
They’ve witnessed too little love.
Her ears have heard their screams and shouts.
Her own are left unheard.
She even says to herself,
“I’m just another woman.”

She’s hurt and been hurt,
By their artificial storms, their violence.
She’s read all their goodbyes,
Seen their fragile bodies shatter.
But she’s still strong.
She’s still called just another woman.

She’s fought before,
Against a force of thousands.
But the fight is still within her.
She’s left to sort out the conflicts,
That they’ll never understand.
Is she still just another woman?

She’s unacknowledged, ignored,
Betrayed and isolated.
Yet she still screams,
“I am your home. I am Jerusalem.”
She’ll never be just another woman.

4/11/02

*I posted this in Open and was hoping I'd get more critique and comments from those here. Please any comments, suggestions, anything is welcome. I want to enter this into a writing contest so please any comments would be great. Thanks, SK*

[This message has been edited by Ron (06-25-2011 10:10 AM).]

© Copyright 2002 Salooma - All Rights Reserved
kaile
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Ascendant
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146
singapore
1 posted 2002-05-05 10:32 AM


Hi Salma,

apparently, i have to know something about Jerusalem before i can figure out things from this poem...i don't know though so i guess i would be more of a nuisance but hey, any reply is better than no reply, ya?

I liked the poem...though i was bewildered at the same time, owing to my ignorance..i would like to see "artifical storms", "fragile bodies shatter" developed..these are cool phrases but i am not too sure what i am supposed to get out from them...

i didn't like the first line, if you don't mind me being honest...I thought "a million men" to be a tad dramatic...the lead can't really have been hurt by a million men, right...i didn't really like the generalization...

Salooma
Senior Member
since 2000-01-28
Posts 781

2 posted 2002-05-05 05:34 PM


Thanks for your reply....I'd love to clarify some of these phrases.

"Artifical storms" refers to basically the war torn situation. The gunfire and weaponry is the artifical part. The storm is the war itself. If that makes any sense at all

"Fragile bodies shatter" refers to the suicide bombings (by American terms)which also connects to the line before it: "She's read all there goodbyes." Usually many who have committed these acts have left videotapes or letters explaining their bombing and their hopes dreams and mostly their goodbyes.

As for the first line, "Her heart's been broken by a million men." That refers to the fact that although many have tried to save Jerusalem and its holy sites whether through negotiations or wars against the occupiers, most have failed and therefore left the city damaged and basically in my terms heart-broken.

Its hard to piece it all together but I hope that clarifies some murky phrases. Thanks for the reply.

Salma

kaile
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Ascendant
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146
singapore
3 posted 2002-05-05 09:38 PM


Hi again...

i'm embarrassed..i actually took this literally..i took "she" to mean an average typical woman in Jerusalem, not the city itself...

ya, it makes perfect sense if i approach this poem from the right angle...

thanks for clarifying my doubts..

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