The bearded lady in the circus of men…We ponder the concept of a “free woman” in this poem by Kendall Hope.
Writing by Kendall Hope
Photo by Beyza Kaplan
The Bearded Lady
The bearded lady
in the circus of men.
She is strong,
but not feminine.
Yet, they still want to control her,
make her play dress up like a doll.
She has no rights
that aren’t chosen by the old wise man.
He is wise for his fortune telling,
and runs the circus.
He takes their money and their hopes,
and ignores their yelling.
The bearded lady is the strongest of all,
stronger than the strong man who stands 7 feet tall.
Her beard, a symbol of masculinity,
is feared by the men of her circus society.
The woman is a joke, truly,
to pleasure the crowd,
yet not be treasured.
Oh, why not repeat the history?
It is the way of the circus!
The bearded lady, after all,
lives in the land of the free
About the Author
Kendall Hope is a Colorado native, who thrives off of sunshine and has been a creative since the time she was small. She loves exploring the outdoors and being a part of nature—with the self-recognition that she is nature—which translates to her poetry. Always working towards the next creative step, Kendall finds satisfaction in the little things, which help her stay present. She debuts as an author with her poetry collection, Pockets of Lavender.
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