old man winter gives a one...two punch

by matthew scott harris
(schwenksville, pennsylvania)

overladen snow covered crackle and crunch
though, this skeptic owned a doubtful hunch
that such 24/7 round the clock whether coverage
would make laughingstock of forecasting
how Jack Frost feigned being out to lunch

and merely his
(or maybe he hiz a her saving
best surprise for last, thus Jackie Frost,
cuz women feel snubbed, shortchanged,
excluded, and being bossed
around feeling pinched at emotional,

physical, and spiritual cost
with million plus women marches
that did exhaust
yet, brought more equitable treatment,

and now risk being lost
in space at the outer limits
of the twilight zone or tossed
into the maws of Earth vis a vis

donning miner for a heart of gold,
where a frayed life line offers tenuous hold
nonetheless, despite risks to life and/or limb
females can experience em bold
dinned journeying
exposing them to in extremis cold
and worthy bets
at gambling halls upon casino bluffing,

thence, slapping (with poker face)
upon table a winning hand
abruptly forcing game to fold
grinning ear to ear while she scoops up gold

repudiating ugly rumors stereotyping women,
within which many other arenas
the devastatingly constricting mold
now upon many another proving grounds

non verbally, smugly,
and proudly assert" i told
you so" garnering, inviting, and
kickstarting kudos where,

their overdue praiseworthy virtues extolled
which hard fight now pits
more gals to enter the scrum
letting actions speak louder than words
as bragging rights allow them to keep mum
though insinuating

rightful opportunity to whisk plum
ming access, where once (and still
to a lesser degree)
men didst unfairly prune
and hurl cruel names like hey "scum

bag", and/or other unflattering brickbats
versus increasing plaudits showered from
on high spelling vic tory
toward equality effacing glum
scowl into smile breaking out
finding more men grudgingly
bestowing deserved accolades
re-evaluating degrading

the fairer sex with dumb
asinine barbs, now underscoring
befriending opposite gender
making ladies in waiting
tubby a worthy chum

now, this bum
seeks Alma Mater dames
and graduates of
Hard Knocks School Alum.