Ms. Nation used her bible and a hatchet
To make a point when other methods failed her.
For sheer persuasive force nothing could match it;
Biographers since then have asked what ailed her.
“That bitch be crazy” – this was the conclusion
Drawn by those (mainly men) who write our histories.
But what if said madness was an illusion
Of trite one-sided tales and other mysteries?
With context* her actions appear in order
Even to those of us who like our whiskey.
She tried letters and protests; they ignored her,
And her mode of expression grew more risky.
A warning from a wounded women’s nation:
When silenced, we resort to hatchetation.
*context: highly recommend this fascinating biography of Nation, which offers an interpretation of Nation’s life that avoids both rose-tinted glasses and jumping to insanity conclusions.