To have sex without being married, when I was young,
was a deliberate defiance of society’s mores.
Only the daring ones who risked a lot
could set out on such a dangerous course.
This was long ago, before any of you were even born,
and I was one of those who dared, who followed love
and wasn’t frightened by old moralists’ tales
of how unlicenced love led only to disease and worse.
In those days, unmarried mothers had their babies taken
never to be seen again before decades of search.
Society’s cruelties had no real reason, they were nothing more
than uptight people’s rule that nobody was allowed
to have any kind of fun with sex except inside the marriage bed.
I was a gentle rebel who never would believe a killjoy,
and managed to have my fun and never pay their price.
There is no force existing under sun or stars
that has the power to keep women and men from each other,
yet there is still debate about when the young
should be allowed to mate – as if that’s any choice but theirs!
© Malcolm Miller 3.6.2013
