We were slow to change and learning.

But we learned to bite our lips

At the stakes were screams and yearning.

At the shores were slavery ships.

The Captain lost the first mate.

To the heist of some disease.

The King was high and tempting fate.

At the harem of, ‘Do as you please.’

This was long before the activists.

Long before we lost the boat.

Then the men became all feminists.

Then we lost the right to vote.