Jim Andris, Facebook

The Feminist Complaint

The catch in living for and through others is not being able to die in concert …

© Glenda Dilley/Cea Hearth, July, 1978

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Could we hold up a minute? Part of the money that I used to buy on when I was being an activist and was therefore unable to take part in my profession was from keeping house for old people, and from there, I did partly that for a while. I didn't even have that to do when I picked strawberries and sold them to my friends. So an ambition to gay consciousness forming at this time, I also discovered on my own and in books and with people, the feminist consciousness and the right that I have as a woman to be a complete being. So this song is dedicated to Pearl, who's one lady I took care of. It was too late for Pearl, but this song is for her anyway.

for Pearl, age 76, July, 1978

Hey, Pearl,
tell me a story of yesterday …
Did I tell you bout my husband
Was a good man; was a great man
I'm alone now, he is gone now
Just a widow, lonely widow
Gone six years, he died in August
It was Sunday, I remember
In our old apartment yonder
Sirens coming. I remember

Hey, Pearl,
tell me about the life you lived …
Did I tell you of the time
They honored Floyd before the shrine?
Just now I can't remember why
Or why God—He won't let me die
Since he's gone, I'm not too good
I'd follow Floyd if just I could
Got glaucoma in both eyes
Always clouds in all my skies

Hey, Pearl,
maybe you'd like to sing a song …?
How about one like [Edelweiss]

That song reminds me of the time
Floyd took me to the German Rhine
I was lucky as could be
Cause wives could go at half the fee
Floyd wrote articles and books
Sometimes I'd help him check his grammar
Did some research for the Foreword
Once I handed him his hammer