She stands at attention announcing the kata “Bassai-Dai” the breaking of fortresses and bows Right fist resting in her left palm over her public area narrowed eyes harnessing anger Her body propels forward Middle level strike block Never again! Rear pivot Outer left middle block Never again! Outer right middle block Never again! Rear pivot Middle left hammer strike block Never again the extermination of my people! Middle right outer block Never again the murder of my brothers and sisters in death-camps! Side pivot lowering of body with a scooping lower-level block and rising with a right middle level hammer striking block of an avenging angel
Never again the rape of my sisters by Gestapo Green Berets Soldiers of Fortune Impotent alcoholics Loners College professors Gentle men who are “not violent” But say “You know there’s shit I can’t eat.” Soulful men who intrude in a human- compassionate way Outer left middle block Never again my children fearing because I have no strength Pivot to the front rising slowly in mastery with open left hand Right punch right outer block Never again clitorectomies where pleasure and passion is cut out of me Left punch outer left block Never again illegal abortions where my death-blood cannot be separated from the fetus
Advance with right sword hand block Never again will I be beaten by a man Advance with left sword hand block Never again the sexual abuse of my children as I accept with my head silently bursting Advance with right sword hand block Never again to physical weakness Retreat with left sword hand block Never again to destruction of the heart Grasp of wrist downward side thrust kick Kiai! Never again to street rapists Advance with left sword hand block Never again to roving hands in public places Retreat with right sword hand block Never again to those who slapped me Pause Double rising block lunge forward with double inner strikes to the ribcage and lunge punch Never again to any man laying a hand on me
Pivot Right hand thrust and pulling of testicles Never again to those who would violate my sexual tenderness Pivot Downward side block crescent kick to the face and elbow strike Never again the slurs against my sex the filthy jokes about my womanhood the sentiment that women are by naure stupid Three downward blocks Never again the subtle rape of contempt the separation of my sexuality from power the separation of my beauty from my deepest feelings U-Punch to the head and groin Never again To the mind that rapes To the genitals that rape
Pivot U-Punch to the head and groin Never again To the face And body That defiles Me Pivot U-Punch to the head and groin Never again to the theory and practice body and soul of male domination Outer right middle block Outer left middle block Never again The beatings The murders Sleeping with tyranny! Diagonal right sword hand block gathering of forces for the final blow between life and death Diagonal left sword hand block Ear-splitting kiai! Never again! Her face is flushed with fury I see the centuries- old rage of women in anger defiance and power
Bassai-Dai the power to break up fortresses of sexism and male domination which destroys love She comes to attention slowly watching her vanquished foe and then bows
5/31/79
From the epic Lilith by Herbert J. Weiner with minor corrections
