I don't think all women can be assumed to have the same reaction to this or any other poem. I think this one's excellent, but I wouldn't if I thought it was judging the man simply because he consistently prefers a particular sexual position. How is that any better than homophobia? I think N is writing him off because she's tired of him, she's done with him, and she thinks he's a jerk in general. For me, that phrase "in general" is an important distinction.
In fact...I think my take has been influenced by the comments. When I first read this for 14 by 14, I thought of it as a "fun" piece: a straightforward musing on a very down-to-earth subject. I didn't see N as bitter. The pair had split up, sure, but not necessarily because he was a terrible person. Nowhere in the poem does it say the woman expressed her displeasure and the man disregarded her feelings. I just figured they were sexually incompatible, and that was that. It happens. It's nobody's fault.
[This message has been edited by Rose Kelleher (edited May 10, 2008).]
|