Reasons

Reasons

 

 

at the gentleman's club

rude hands grope

she shies away

leaving fingers frustrated

her life,

a stage, a pole

the price of admission

taken on by so many men

to watch her attire be taken off

 

reasons have her there

but do the patrons care

as they reach in their pockets

for bills to squeeze against her skin

they assume,

her smile is real

as they look to feel

 

her soul's grieving

her heart's awakening

she loves all of them

for a few hours

then goes home and cries

in her bath,

tears color the water blue

 

the woman wishes she were a different hue

but she does what is a must

though unjust,

little mouths to feed

and those hands have no bad intent

innocence, something she longs to feel 

as she once did

 

before making her bargain with life.

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/14/22

Reviews

[keith]

MAKE IT RAIN!

many choices in life ... some ok most not so
i cannot condemn everything society finds fault
i have killed so my voice is cancelled

a very touchy subject here jacob that you provide justice to/for
'before making her bargain with life.' ... we must do what we need to do

[jacob erin-cilberto]

your voice is never cancelled, keith.
And thank you for your words here,
j.

[redd Brick Keshner]

If it is for the money and these clients would throw theirs for nothing else then there is something quite off and a guised injustice is in the offing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, a big injustice...
thank you, Frederick.
j.

[John the Baptist]

When push comes to shove, you do what you have to do. You may not like it, but you do it anyway. Sometimes, this is the way love goes.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

some times we don't get many choices.
thank you, John.

[softlyfall]

In my mind, there is nothing a bit shameful about taking off your clothes, even for money, if it is by choice. I did some nude modelling for life art classes in college for extra money. It never occurred to me that it was shameful. Why does she cry in the bath? I honestly don't understand.
There is a vast difference between an erotic dancer and a sex worker. Or, in the case of legitimate dance clubs there is, though I am sure there is a lot of cross over.
That being said, I have been in the position of having hungry children and being pretty much a lost child myself and sometimes there really is no choice but to take any and every opportunity you can find to get the resources to feed them.
Desperation is very motivating.
A poem about the bargains we all must make.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Desperation is...and I have known several erotic dancers and became friends with them...good people...but because of some crazy stigma...some feel ashamed...I don't understand it either.
we do what we do...and the hell with what others think or judge about us.
thank you for what you wrote here.
j.
I was hoping you might check out my Sylvia and Anne poem...since our conversations inspired it.
j.

[softlyfall]

I will do that right now

[JD Major]

A bittersweet message, well-written.
Reminds me of Psych class and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Survival always comes First!
JD

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, JD,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

I have often seen circumstances like these with an "open heart"".
To the young Mother, she is just a Tree shaking in the Forest to gather the
"Autumn Leaves" to make Pumpkin Pie for her family.... surrounded by Jack O Lanterns
for Halloween. gently, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Pat...I really like your response, mucho.
j.

[Gee]

Somebody's daughter. Mothers do what ever is needed to make ends meet it's in their DNA. My old mum used to work two or three jobs often putting herself into a state of exhaustion.
Hits home this one.
Hope you are keeping well Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Gee...we do what we need to...
I am familiar with the three jobs thing...wasn't much time for sleep...
but had to.
j.

[Gee]

Needs much eh!
There are many youngsters that can't be bothered to drag their arses out of bed to work one job:)

[Lorry]

And I bet she's never seen a gentlemen in there in her life.
I guess it's just that stripper is the easiest thing to fit on a "label" without going yo the trouble of seeing beyond the skins depth.
Hark at me, getting all righteous at seven in the morning!
Sorry about that Jacob. I'm sure normal service will resume shortly...

.... Bah!

There ya go. 😊

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, they don't look past the skin...they don't look at the heart.
thank you for your comments, Lorry,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

This hurt to read. She does what she does to feed her little ones and if it's the only way of earning a living so be it. I think it incredibly sad that it distresses her so, while the men at the club don't care a toss about her circumstances. They just want a cheap thrill. Mothers will feed their children at any cost to themselves. That is the strength of maternal love. Fabulous write J.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind review, Chris,
j.