From the Devising Room: US

In this series of posts, we’ll be bringing you glimpses into the devising process for The Trojan Women Project. The thirteen performers involved often wrote poems, songs, dialogues, and movement pieces on the theme and ideas being explored in the rehearsal room. Sometimes they were created in the spur of the moment and other times director Rachel Hynes gave them prompts to go away and work on and then return with material. This piece was written by Allison Turkel who played Alexis to explore the idea of “women’s language.”

US
by Allison Turkel

We are collectively seething with anger
We are collectively measuring our words
Still wearing our dresses and heels

They would be brandishing swords

We are collectively seething with anger
Marching in pussy hats galore
Sharing our stories to see how it feels

They would start a war

We are collectively seething with anger
Examining each word said
Wondering if we are sisters

They say it’s just in our heads

We are collectively seething with anger
Using the media to set it straight
Hoping to heal our psychic blisters

They say its just their trait

We are embracing our collective power
Gathering our me too’s together
Bringing light to this epidemic

We say this must change forever

We are embracing our collective power
Nurturing our women’s might
Birthing a new tomorrow

We say they must make it right

We Are-WE Are -WE ARE
The living, loving, hoping, listening, growing, talking, sharing, agreeing, changing, feeding, healing mothers of ALL LIFE who can do anything and everything that has EVER been thrown at us
WE WILL NOT HIDE-WHEN WE CRY WE WILL CRY IN THE OPEN AIR TOGETHER RAISING A CACOPHONY OF VOICES OF WOMEN’S LANGUAGE FROM THE DREAM OF A COMMON LANGUAGE
WE.              WILL.              NOT.              DIE.              ON.              THE.              BEACH.
WE.              WILL.              NOT.              GO.              WITH.              THE.              CONQUERERS.
WE.              WILL.              NOT.              BE.              VANQUISHED.

WE WILL BE