The Handmaid's Realization weekendwriteindisguise

The Handmaid's Reality

It was really a disguised coup d'etat

For many, a  revolution in name only

From the slave pits, I didn't climb far

Just a different-hued collar now on me

Right now I'm not proud of my gender

Always thought we'd be better than men

If we ever succeeded to power

Enslavement would come to an end

Turns out we're no angels either

Seem to value retribution over progress

Power can become a destructive fever

When you've all the reins, I guess

Our victory reversed  the old polarity

On paper, we're the ones in charge

Former elite's dependent on our charity

For them, our largess isn't large

At times, this new regime feels just right

And that's the really scary part

When all your actions are rooted in  spite

You're housing your former oppressor's heart

"Lysistrata" was the coup's inspiration

Led winners to the  victory path

Universal sexual-congress abnegation

Provoked men's animalistic wrath

Brought on  rapine depravity

Most  good men were loathed to face

A theocracy ruled by wanton savagery

Can never be a prideful place

The resistance gained co-ed momentum

As the outrages multiplied

Ever gorier acts of physical intervention

Brought more good men to our side

Eventually, we achieved a majority

And seemingly shared a common goal

To free everyone from tyranny

Regain governance of our bodies and souls

Guess that was for public consumption

A very skillfully disguised campaign

Truth is, there's been a corruption resumption

Only changes are despots' genders and names

Former "Aunts" became the new ruling elite

Embodying vengeance without remorse

To assure their control was complete

They quickly resumed a dictatorial course

Supported by their private armies

Recruited while in their monitoring roles

Mainly lower-caste revolutionary co-signees

For whom  the "get even" bell loudly tolls

Aunts reinstituted much of what was before

Merely relabeled everything

Moved to settle many an abiding score

Let The Reaper's sharp blade swing

Commanders were first to lose their heads

Aunts reveled in their torment

Their former rulers spouting arterial  red

Aunts watched without any  lament

"Jezebels" and wilful ostentatious Wives

Anyone the Aunts ever envied

Summarily forfeited their own lives

Before the murderous campaign was ended

Compliant "Marthas" and "Econowives"

Immediately were granted better rooms

We Handmaids saw little change in our lives

We're still nothing but walking wombs

A wise Aunt used to say the past is prologue

Meaning former history tends to return

A new resistance is already piling  up logs

On them, the new oppressors will burn

Victory didn't bring  societal  improvement

Though they'd promised liberty to nurture

Many originally well-intentioned movements

Have been corrupted by perverse human nature