Amanda Calzada’s  poem  was inspired by u-POW.  In May 2014, it was on display at the Pence Gallery in downtown as part of the UCD Ellen Hansen creative scholarship entries collection.  We’ve posted it here with Amanda’s permission.

Philosop(her)

Oh Reason, how I love you, your logic I adore

Praise to thy thoughtful wonder, abstract and depth

Never ever the essence of me, my mind, will you ignore

For it does not follow to deem a gender intellectually inept

Share your wisdom and consistency with this entire human race

Remind them that in the context of rationale, gender is blind

Encourage them to imagine, to think at Logic’s pace

To look not with their eyes at another, but with their mind

Help them to stimulate discussion, respect opinions of all

Forgo the preconceived notions, the popularized stereotypes

Tear down these inhibiting, stunting mental walls

Hand me a pen, please, but need it not be pink

For I need a means to celebrate, but foremost, articulate

Hand me a paper to preserve these thoughts of mine in ink

So that this mentality may dissipate as I attempt to educate

Let us not thrust woe upon man, nor inhibit all that Reason can be

Let us invite every being to this party they call “philosophy”