Summoning

 Find you a girl willing 

    to dismember him

    break his legs, cause financial ruin

    destroy his reputation

                                       Because he hurt you

Then together you will

            raise children not of your blood

            grow things no man could conceive

            like pleasure

                                        At no one's expense

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C'mon ChatGPT, critique this shite: What does the poem have to say about patriarchy?

The poem critiques patriarchy subtly but powerfully, exploring its impact through both destructive and transformative lenses. Here's an analysis of its commentary on patriarchy:

Patriarchy as a Source of Harm

• The first stanza suggests a male figure who "hurt you," symbolizing the harm perpetuated by a patriarchal system. The emphasis on actions like "break his legs" and "destroy his reputation" reflects the violent reckoning some may fantasize about in response to systemic oppression or personal betrayal by men within that system.
• The hyperbolic nature of this vengeance ("dismember him") highlights the depth of pain caused by patriarchal harm, suggesting how deeply ingrained systems of male dominance can fracture relationships, emotions, and lives.

Subverting Patriarchy Through Feminine Solidarity

• The poem shifts focus in the second stanza to a collaborative and creative vision: "Find you a girl willing" implies solidarity between women, which is often a counterforce to patriarchal norms that encourage competition and isolation among them.
• Together, these women "raise children not of your blood" and "grow things no man could conceive." This imagery rejects traditional patriarchal definitions of legacy (through biological offspring or material achievement) and instead embraces creation on their own terms—things born of choice, care, and mutual empowerment rather than dominance.

Reclaiming Power Outside Patriarchal Constructs

• The final line, "pleasure / At no one's expense," is a direct rejection of patriarchal norms that often frame success, power, and pleasure as zero-sum games. Instead, the poem envisions a world where fulfillment is cooperative and equitable, not built on exploitation or harm.

Overall Commentary

The poem critiques patriarchy by contrasting its destructive tendencies with the potential for an alternative mode of existence based on solidarity, creativity, and non-exploitation. It suggests that while patriarchal systems inflict deep wounds, there is a possibility for healing and creation outside of its confines—offering a vision of empowerment that does not perpetuate cycles of harm.