And in this next section, there are two different women's
voices speaking.
He slammed his hand across my face,
and I let him do that until I stopped letting him do it.
So I'm in for life.
He kept saying I was crazy--
he'd lock me up--
until I went to women's lib.
And they told me he'd been abusing
me as much as if he'd hit me--
emotional abuse.
They told me how to answer back, that I could answer back.
But my brother-in-law's a shrink with the state.
I have to watch my step.
If I stay just within bounds, they won't come and get me.
Women's lib taught me the words to say,
to remind myself and him.
I'm a person with rights like anyone,
but answering backs, no answer.