A Poem, Madames

Madames

They are angry
because things are
changing, though things
have always changed,
but now things
are coloured like
skin and eyes,
and the crusades
are over, though
they never fought,
rather staying home
to watch their
husbands’ back and
their children’s heights
increase, and they
are angry because
things are changing,
and they are
too weak to
do much except
encourage fear of
things that change.