cast X upon the waters

her fingers grasp the stubby pencil now
that she can mark an X and change the world
which used to scorn her brain as half a man’s
but better than a slave with none at all
in law the way was paved by women mocked
arrested thrown in jail for seeking right
and finding none refused to eat and starved
and then their stubborn teeth bashed out for fun-
nelled slop until from shame the men in charge
submitted grim and angry gave the vote
and so she stands and ponders if the X
the pencil in her hand can make is worth
forgotten teeth indignity and pain
to put in office cogs who rule by poll
that blunts all pencils unto end of time