What My Son Didn't Know Poem by Michael Eziudo

Dad, "What is woman", he said.
"Son, " I said.
"I'll tell you what you need to know, like one or two
And when I'm through
You'll tell what woman is." I said.

"You see, she grew under check
Taught to be what she is
All something good they want to of her make
Wife material she must be, not in half ways
A lot on her neck,
Yet weight of her own body and the monthly pains
Teenager becomes a woman
And it doesn't stop there
A home awaits her somewhere

And she bears his diamond, a golden treasure
Truly she is
But it's mixed with pain and pleasure
And the internal palace coronates a prince
Yet the ornament that houses the palace
Takes many a home chore
Food must be served, otherwise she being a wife they're not sure
The typical king is too holy to assist
She owes him the duty of keeping his home-front
Who on earth is she to make him doff
What should cause anguish she does with happy face
Washing and cleaning things so tough
From after dishing breakfast and goes in for dinner
Yet the palace is getting bigger and heavier

Now the Prince is here
That gives her two babies to nurture
And more may be here soon
And it'll always be those, plus one
And she must take care too of her own body
One that hardly balances
For the constantly changing hormones
Plus mood swings that come like twelve O'clock
And the chores are still there, her never ending luck

And where she must help the king play his roles
She gets her name on payrolls
And so answerable to unbearable bosses
Who demand that deadlines be met
And clients be fed to their nourishment
Even when their words and actions are poisonous
After which she goes back to the overt palace
Another deadlines must be met

And the king's mother
Must put her in a tight corner
Make her be what condition did to crayfish
Otherwise she's not a good for any wish
And neighbors and religious obligations
All are engines that need fuels
And she's the attendant too

Now son, I'm not done but I'm through."
I said
"So tell me, " It's my turn to say what you had earlier said.
"What is woman, " I said.
And I heard my son reply,
"Woman is strong."
And I said, "Yes,
Another way to say woman is to say strong".