Many Women, Some Men

Many Women, Some Men by Valerie Parente

Many women play dumb
as not to offend
because to anger some men
could mean her life’s end.

Many women go ghost
as not to piss off
fearing rejection
could mean her life stops.

Many women hold their keys
as a means to defend
between the knuckles
where her life depends.

Many women smile back
as a way to pretend
because if she disapproves
her life could be threatened.

Some men need an explicit signal
but when they receive that, they attack
then turn around and blame women
for putting on an act.

And the knee-jerk reaction
is to say “not all men”
but what do you call it when a small portion
affects every single woman?

– Valerie Parente (4-24-2026)

Cathedral

Cathedral by Valerie Parente

She worships her body
like a cathedral
a sacred space
to shelter the ego.

A corset of ribbed vaults
to emphasize her curves;
if this is no man’s state
then separate it from her church.

You made her body
into something political
but she’s not a group project
she’s an individual.

She listens to her own belief system
not the sound of a man’s sermon
knowing there’s no such thing
as a whore or a virgin.

The religion of her decisions
only needs to make sense to her
one woman’s freedom
is not another man’s curse.

– Valerie Parente (4-7-2026)

Valkyrie by Valerie Parente

They told me to find a knight in shining armor
if I wanted someone to save me
so I polished my nails
and became my own source of bravery.

They told me to dull my shine
so that I wouldn’t distract
then pretended I never had
any power to take back.

They wanted me to yield my worth
and rely on the opposite sex
so I decided to wield my sword
and damn my own distress.

They tried to make me feel small
so I wouldn’t notice
that I am a force
to be reckoned with.

– Valerie Parente (2-20-2026)