Woman

By Vickie Johnstone

RING THE ALARM

Flag that car for a lift,
and you might not get very far.

Walk the streets late at night,
be careful where you are.

Ride a bike, so then drive slow,
or you might not make it home.

Fly a plane, check the seat,
be sure to sit right by the exit.

Stay in a hotel, look at the number,
ensure it doesn’t say thirteen.

Buy a lock, buy an alarm, buy a dog,
buy a gun, buy a knife, learn to run,
learn to fight, check for streetlights,
check behind you, check in front.

Don’t get the nightbus,
do get the nightbus.

Don’t walk,
walk.

Don’t, don’t, don’t...

Just stay home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vickie Johnstone
• Release date: May 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798201751135

Vickie Johnstone

Vickie Johnstone lives in the UK. She has a thing about fluffy cats and also loves reading, writing, films, the sea, art, nature, white chocolate and travelling. Vickie has self-published 23 books since 2011.- Books published in 2011:Kaleidoscope (March) – 119 poems, divided by chapter themes;Travelling Light – a free book of 44 poems;Kiwi in Cat City – the first in a series about a magical cat and her human pals (April);Kiwi and the Missing Magic (June);Kiwi and the Living Nightmare (October).The Kiwi books have illustrations by Nikki McBroom.- Books published in 2012:Day of the Living Pizza – a comedy horror for ages 10 up (May);Life’s Rhythms – 316 haiku (June);3 Heads and a Tail – a romantic comedy with a dog as the hero (June);Kiwi and the Serpent of the Isle (August);Day of the Pesky Shadow (October);Kiwi in the Realm of Ra (November); andKiwi's Christmas Tail (December).- Books published in 2013:The Sea Inside – a fantasy adventure (May); andI Dream of Zombies – a horror set in London in 2013 with a heroine (October).- Books published in 2014:Haven (I Dream of Zombies, 2) (May).- Books published in 2015:Mind-spinning Rainbows – 45 haiku and 109 poems (April).- Books published in 2021:A Poem a Day – 446 poems (July).- Books published in 2023:Tirips Shade – Ghost Detective (April).Ink – poetry (May)Woman – poetry (May)- Books published in 2024:Between the Sky and the Sea – poetry (February)Murals (March)Colouring the Edges (March)Links:Blog: http://vickiejohnstone.blogspot.comTwitter: @vickiejohnstoneWebsite: Kiwiincatcity.comMerchandise: www.zazzle.co.uk/kiwiincatcityFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorVickieJohnstonehttp://www.facebook.com/KiwiinCatCityhttp://www.facebook.com/KaleidoscopePoetryHappy reading and writing :)

Book preview

We are

We are as we are,

walking, talking, fashioned out

of breathing colour.

So we go

Into the night we go,

free as birds,

soundless and unseen,

trivial and green.

Unknowing, unthinking,

with no boundaries,

no obstacles -

with wings, groundless.

Books by the author

Tirips Shade

3 Heads & a Tail

Cerulean Songs

The Sea Inside (book 1)

I Dream of Zombies

I Dream of Zombies (book 1)

Haven (book 2)

The Kiwi Series

Kiwi in Cat City (book 1)

Kiwi and the Missing Magic (book 2)

Kiwi and the Living Nightmare (book 3)

Kiwi and the Serpent of the Isle (book 4)

Kiwi in the Realm of Ra (book 5)

Kiwi’s Christmas Tail (book 6)

Smarts & Dewdrop Series

Day of the Living Pizza (book 1)

Day of the Pesky Shadow (book 2)

Poetry

Kaleidoscope

Life’s Rhythms (haiku)

Travelling Light

Mind-spinning Rainbows

A Poem a Day

Between the Sky and the Sea

Ink

Woman

Meditations (haiku)

Others

The Gage Project

Stand Together: A Collection of Poems and Short Stories for Ukraine

A Very Zombie Christmas

Lost voices

Today they banned women’s voices,

silenced them on the radio waves

and the world of the silver screen.

All these disappearing women.

They’ve already banned mixed-sex ed

and any males teaching females.

The advice is to stay in your own home,

because it’s no longer safe on the street.

How will these women learn to exist

without voice, identity or presence?

August 30, 2021

Today, Wayne Couzens, a police officer, was charged with the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard.

Reclaim these streets

I’d like to walk day or night

where I like without fear.

I’d like to walk in a forest deep,

smell the trees alone without fear.

I’d like to take a nightbus home,

and not be hassled, face a leer.

I’d like to exit a station at night,

not feel I’m running the gauntlet.

All of this shouldn’t happen at all –

we should feel safe enough to breathe.

Why are we paying for being women

when we are happy in our female skin?

Is it hate or is it a desire for control,

and where does that hate come from?

I’ve travelled the globe alone without fear,

so why aren’t we safe at home, right