[kbatku]

I heard this woman read in Yakima a few weeks back. While all her work was exceptional, one of her poems was especially moving for me - it explained a lot while being insightful, well crafted, and touching.** The Girl Who Goes Alone Elizabeth Austen Here’s the thing about being a girl and wanting to play outside. All the grownups grind it into you from the get go: girls outside aren’t safe. The guy in the car? If he rolls down the window and leans his head out, run, because the best you can hope for is a catcall, and at worst, you’ll wind up with your face on the side of a milk carton. Even when you’re a grown-up girl, your father—because he loves you— will send you a four-page article about how to protect yourself while standing at the ATM, while travelling unescorted, while jogging solo, an article informing you how to distinguish phony police and avoid purse snatchers, pickpockets, rapists and thugs. Tell someone you’re going into the woods alone and they’ll fill your ears with every story they’ve ever heard about trailside cougar attacks, cave dwelling misogynists, lightning strikes, forest fires, flash floods, and psychopaths with a sixth sense for a woman alone in a tent. To be a girl alone in the wilderness is to know that if something goes wrong— you picked the trailhead where the ax murderer lurks or the valley of girl-eating gophers— if you don’t come home unscathed, the mourning will be mixed with I-told-you-sos from everyone whose idea of camping involves an RV or a Motel 6. The message is clear: Girls must be chaperoned. Continued: (scroll down a bit at linked - to page)**

[Scrooge]

Great find, kbatku, but you did do a good selection job. Those first four verses, about the universal experience of the "girl alone", really are a little better than the details. ........ Thanks.

[jsull]

It's not a factual study of sexual assault. It's a poem. It's art. And I encourage readers to follow the link and read the whole thing. I have a daughter, I hike alone, and in light of the missing woman in Columbia Gorge, I was deeply moved. -John

[Ski]

[roadtripmom]

WOW ! This woman says so well. Men just don't get it.

[Ski]

[bonobo]

Thank you, kbatku, for introducing me to a piece of poetry I find very moving. Learning to go out solo has been one of the most powerful things I've done for myself.

[NWtrax]

That was a nice poem. As the father of two young girls I hope I can prevent my concerns from becoming their fears, to build confidence and provide the space needed for them to someday go it alone.

[Damian]

[More Cowbell]

a little bit of the serious side of Kabatku. Nice. I'm not big into poetry but I would buy her books.

[MtnGoat]

I wonder what the actual data shows with respect to risk vs the sex of the hiker.

[dicentra]

Incredible poem. I found this earlier on a different list... Posted the full thing (with links to her site) to my blog today. I hike alone.

[Quark]

Am I the only one who thinks the poem is hooey? No offense, kbatku - but to those who are swooning - what about it is inspiring? Of course it's Austen's freaked-out experiences, not mine - but rather than this poem helping anyone, as some have posted, I would think this would scare the bejeezus out of any girl or young woman wanting to hike or backpack alone. Plus, they'll think that all men out there are intimidated by women who backpack alone. Austen apparently attracts insecure boyfreinds, if hers are intimidated by this. Sure I had and still have fears when alone, but they're not gender-specific fears. Mine are the same as anyone might have - claustrophobia, dead-silence and being surrounded by vast empty space. I'm just not a fan of the poem, and I don't think it is going to help anyone. I guess poems that include reference to axe murders and fondling bloody tampons in the middle of the night just don't appeal to me.

[Dogpatch]

[dicentra]

I don't think it's hooey. And I think you are partially right... Not all men think like that, but a lot of them do. I don't think the poem is meant to be a "lesson" to anyone, but more of a... "I'm gonna do this and you can't stop me. And don't tell me not to just because I'm a GIRL"