Sam, like Max, I assume that this poem is intended as satire of the male poets and the way, in an all-male group, they talk about women. But just as it is hard to satirize racism without sounding racist because of the behavior you portray (in Huckleberry Finn, for example, which is often criticized for its language), so it is hard to satirize sexist behavior without sounding sexist. I would argue that in Twain's story, the arc of the story itself undercuts the racist attitudes that are displayed. In this poem, there is less context, so it is harder to see whether it is the "crazy" women who are being satirized or the men who see them that way. I have a strong taste for irony, so I tend to pick it up in set-ups like these (the weenie at the end felt like a tip-off to me), but even "thoughtful" Ben keeps his mouth shut when the other men are griping about women. So, I was wavering about exactly how satirical it was supposed to be, and I can see Julie and Jayne's points about why it didn't feel funny to them. I don't know if there is a good way to make the satirical intent clearer, but I think that is definitely the issue here.
Susan
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