Purim Anti-Patriarchy Poem
Happy Purim!
Secular Synagogue had an amazing poetry event this past weekend! So much talent in our little group. We had someone compare their funny looking hamentashen to their experience of being told they “don’t look Jewish” which resonated so much with a thought I had about misshapen hamentashen and how we all need to just “Jew it our way” :
We had people share socialist Yiddishist poetry right up to comic book fan fiction. There was Rupi Kaur and a lot of homemade poems. Even a pun poem!
I wrote this one, an Anti-Patriarchy Purim Poem because it’s a feminist holiday, it’s International Women’s Week, and we are always about smashing the patriarchy anyhow. Here it is below. Whatever you’re doing for Purim, I hope it’s a good one!
Purim Party Anti-Patriarchy Poem
How did the Megillah get seen as vanilla?
It’s possibly the text, most vexed, filled with the dirtiest sex
Dirty because of the lack of consent
A harem — not a free room without rent
Do we ask “did the women choose?”
To be there, to be clear, these women are used and abused
The “beauty pageant” we sometimes explain
A claim to innocence the text doesn’t name
It’s clear what’s here — sexual slavery
While it’s notable that we celebrate Vashti’s bravery
She’s exiled, left to die, for trying to find
Some measure of control over her body
In the middle of this bawdy (with a w) scene
This text, considered Godly (capital “G”?), is not usually seen
For what it is: patriarchy on full display
The king has his pick
The text doesn’t say
that he chose Esther for her brains
Or sense of adventure
He likes her looks and then he likes what comes after
He chooses her and her choices are none
Remind me why we think this holiday’s fun?
We celebrate Esther, the heroines here
The women save the people — hear hear
Let’s notice they do this in spite of their circumstance
A dance they must dance to survive
No opportunity to thrive without using their sexuality
The intertextuality here flies off the page
Biblical women like Tamar and Ruth
Use their bodies, their brains, the occasional ruse
To make their way in a man’s world
It would seem that when we deem this holiday for kids
What we’re really saying is “don’t pay attention”
Ignore the reality, the brutality, that women endured
And still do
We can’t get rid of the sexism, it’s not hidden here
Like the name of god or the people’s fear
It’s in front of us so let’s not hide from it
Deride women further
pretend sexism’s over
There’s more work to do
Let’s celebrate Vashti, Esther, and all heroines too
Who do what they do in spite of the odds
In spite of mansplaining, in spite of male Gods
Positioned to us like they know what we need
Until things change we still live in a system of lots
Where you’re born and to whom determines a lot
About how much control you might have
Over your body
Still a lottery
Still a game to some
Just the way we make Purim a carnival
When really it’s a carnal,
Violent and deeply troubling story
This is just about the sex - it also gets gory
So what’s the takeaway here? Yes, Vashti resisted. Esther was met with great odds but nevertheless she persisted
Like women always have and still do
From suffragettes to #metoo
So lift up your glass
Share a toast with me
Let’s celebrate with our
Long Island Vash-teas
To women and those who are non-binary
Who continue to smash the patriarchy