d to imbue the poem with far greater reach than merely to the relationship described within it. As an example, consider the very first lines of the poem: "You said you believed in women and women's forward progress, but that wasn't it."
The poet ends by arguing that the "chains" usually associated with being a woman are considered more limiting by men than by women. Men have argued for eternity that women are incapable of strength and endurance and a host of other things because of the natural weakness of their natures. They offer the limitations on our mobility caused by child-bearing and rearing as an example. The poets last lines serve as notice that women are strong enough that these responsibilities do not act as limitations. In fact, she argues the limitations of which men accuse women are actually the limitation of men: "And I'm certain there's plenty things you say about that now, but none of them are it -- and all of them come out in the wash (though, unlike that first spot of blood that frightened you so for the mark it left on you,) easily."
The poem "Sweet Remember" is a feminist poem that advocates the self-empowerment of women. However, instead of directly addressing women to stand up and defend themselves, the poet chooses to attack the way in which women are raised to believe in the morally superior and inherently protective nature of men. There are three distinct sections of the poem "Sweet Remember." In the first, the poet describes the way in which female children are raised to believe that "young women who are decent are to always be in company of strong young men who can protect them." But we know that this first section is a warning against such an upbringing by the first lines of the poem: "Sweet Remember when you ask your little girls to be so sweet, sit neat, cry easy, and be oh so pretty on a shelf."
In the second section of the poem, the poet describes the specific ways men can and do t...