No Emotional Reaction

It takes tremendous willpower not to react

Emotionally to provocative words, but when I manage to do that

Words lose their power over me, I realize

Each time it still takes me by surprise

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Words are often used cleverly to evoke

Strong reactions, superlatives can provoke

The best of us to anger or indignation

And that only worsens our own situation

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As a woman, an emotional reaction hurts even more

Yet another win it allows men to score

Especially in professional circles, where women must appear

To be in control at all times, or being labeled as “angry” fear

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I am learning to sit back and be objective

Ammunition to others I don’t want to give

By letting their words have power over me

I am trying to stay as composed as I can be