Echoes of the Invisible Women in Academia

 

by Mary Cullinan 

 

 

This requires a tremendous amount of my energy

Is there someone more deserving of this from me?

The other students look past me

I am their mother, not their peer

The orientation person said

We don’t give info packages to the moms.

I am a student.

I am also a mom.

I want to slap her!

At least send her to her room for a

Time out.

My husband says he was

Always smart in school.

So was I.

Some things I just knew.

Good thing because no one told me.

My boys are proud of me.

They are teenagers.

What do you think about that,

Orientation girl?

They say,

You can do anything you want!

Really though, I did this for me.

All about me.

When I told my supervisor that

I am interested in looking at women’s experiences

Between violence and learning in graduate school,

She said,

You’ll never find anyone. Why?

We weed them out.

That’s what she says,

We weed them out.

I’m here.

Can you see me?

The clock is ticking.

I’m trying not to panic

At my age in particular

I need to write things down.

Find a support group

Someone to listen to me

Talk to me

Some people say,

Your grandchildren need you

Your children need you.

I don’t feel old.

I feel young.

I started something new.

I have a passion.

I’m here.

Can you see me?

 

 

As I interviewed women throughout Canada, I was inspired to create this found poem. All of the words, phrases and thoughts are lifted directly from the many conversations I had with women throughout my research.  I am delighted to report that this poem has been published in the book, Permission - The International Interdisciplinary Impact of Laurel Rchardson's Work by Julie White of The Victoria Institute, Victoria University, Australia by Sense Publishers (2016).