1940s FOUR HOUR FEEDING RULE (c)

Must wake sleeping tot
force-feed despite its being full,
and remember later,
ignore hunger-pain cries—
diligently hold fast
to four-hour feeding rule.

Close eyes to child’s rhythms,
cave not to its demands.
You, parent train infant,
instruct early what
to do and when,
learn not to bend, or
cradle a spoiled brat
in the end.

Child must be taught
their life you control,
then it will obey
whatever you say
forever and a day.

So what if set on its own,
well indoctrinated
in four-hour rule,
this blind adult child
with needs overridden,
ignored, fears dying,
eats to obese, or
embraces starvation,
wastes away compliant,
vacillates from
hyper-active to lethargic,
arrogantly smart underperformer,
goes nowhere, fails.

Blame not unsophisticated,
brainwashed parent,
follower of pediatrician’s directive.
Never doubt male god with
PhD, he knows what’s best.
Look! Even his book attests!

Independent thinking?
A horror to behold.
Darling, pay no heed
to puzzled voices in head
that doubts four-hour eating rule.
Don't let yourself be misled.
It’s the 1940s, and
women’s brains are not well fed.