Continuing our discussion on the importance of moving away from gender stereotypes I’d like to share a poem from Dorri Ziai.

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Chip the Rock

let me chip away at the marble air between us

until the only forms left are the davids and mona lisas

perfect forms like the gods feel unworthy to meet us

we are our own creation

so best get started on a treatise

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chip away, theres too much rock between us

chip the rock until gems appear in us

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at this moment, you’re still a figment of my imagination

cuz i’m seeing you sullied in marble and clay

weighted down in the fear that life is inescapably this way

that’s why we have to start chipping the rock away

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chip every cold word

every cry unheard

every flick of the eyelids

every head turned

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chip every head turn

every hatred learned

every incident of violence

every body violated

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chip every dream denied the portrayal of only one side

chip every innocence shattered by seeing now what never before mattered

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all these have grown the rock, hardened the clay

lets love ourselves and chip it all away.

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not having words to speak

because the fear’s been driven so deep

since day one the world tells us

to hate what we must keep

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this is the rock that we must defeat

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slavery used to be picking cotton from the fields

now we’re slaves to picking cotton off the shelves

this is the slavery of our souls to our selves

picking diet pills

this is the rock of oppression

this is the rock of hatred

this is never taking a walk where the lowly and the humble tread

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and it is the weight of our walking

that will keep this rock from getting bigger

travel this world, move your feet

chip through molten lava, rock, clay, dirt

the rubber on your sneakers ’till our soles finally meet

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walk where you’re not supposed to

walk where you’re most scared to

walk where they say you’ll get lost

and walk until you perceive no cost

in leaving in home

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home is a good place to be

but stay there and you atrophy

so when showed a new path, choose,

because you won’t learn from walking

’till you try it in someone else’s shoes

it’s not over just cuz we say we believe

question your life

look for what you don’t see

chip the rock away

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you see a smile on my face

but heart’s singing the blues

too many people living this life only in their own shoes

head’s spinning in circles

but my soul’s not confused

i keep chipping the rock

’till i see the God in you

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