the conviction that, as a spectator gratified by creativity, woman reaches the highest possible point in the evolution of her species. But, on the contrary, woman is discovering that the patriarchal world needs her—that man’s self-liberating efforts absolutely depend on her—and that woman’s liberation can only be realized independent of patriarchal previ- sions and the dynamics by which men liberate themselves. The artist depends upon woman to glorify his work and she, until she begins her own liberation, is happy to oblige. The work of art cannot afford to lose the security inherent in her exclusively receptiverole. Once aware of her position in relation to male creativity, woman is left with two possi- bilities: the first—until now, the only available option— of distinguishing herself within the cre- ative hierarchy historically defined by men (which alienates her from other women while men recognize her only indulgently); or—the feminist alternative—of autonomously recover- ing her own creativity, nourished by her aware- ness of past oppression. To celebrate male creativity is ultimately to submit to the historic sovereignty of men, to that patriarchal strategy which deliberately sub- jugates us. But let woman remove herself, and the struggle for male supremacy becomes not man lording it over woman, but merely a strug- gle between individual men. By refusing to celebrate male creativity, we are not judging creativity, nor are we contesting it. Rather, with our absence, we are refusing to accept it as defined; we are challenging the concept of art as something which men gra- ciously hand down to us. By ceasing to believe in a refracted liberation, we are unleashing creative energy from patriarchal bonds. With her absence, woman performs a dramat- ic act of awareness, creative because it is liber- ating. *Text written by Rivolta Femminile, March 1971; free translation by Arlene Ladden from Carla Lonzi, Sputiamo su Hegel: La Donna clitoridea e la donna vaginale e altri scritti, Scritti di Rivolta Femminile, 1,2,3, Milan, 1974. T e P EE IS S R R R Assata Shakur (Joanne Chesimard) has been associated with the Black Panther Party and other political groups, including the Black Liberation Army, which she has said “is not an organization. Itis a concept. A people’s movement, an idea” emerging from conditions in the Black commu- nity. She is currently a political prisoner being held in New Jersey, ostensibly on charges of bank robbery. WHAT IS LEFT? Assata Shakur WHAT IS LEFT? AFTER THE BARS AND THE GATES AND THE DEGRADATION WHAT IS LEFT? AFTER THE LOCK INS AND THE LOCK OUTS AND THE LOCK UPS WHAT IS LEFT? | MEAN, AFTER THE CHAINS THAT GET ENTANGLED IN THE GREY OF ONE'S MATTER AFTER THE BARS THAT GET STUCK IN THE HEARTS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHAT IS LEFT? AFTER THE TEARS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS AFTER THE LONELY ISOLATION AFTER THE CUT WRIST AND THE HEAVY NOOSE WHAT IS LEFT? | MEAN, LIKE, AFTER THE COMMISSARY KISSES AND THE GET-YOUR-SHIT-OFF-BLUES AFTER THE HUSTLER HAS BEEN HUSTLED WHAT IS LEFT? AFTER THE SAD FUTILE MANEUVERS AFTER THE SHRILL AND BARREN LAUGHTER AFTER THE CONTRABAND EMOTIONS WHAT IS LEFT? AFTER THE MURDERBURGERS AND THE GOON SQUADS AND THE TEAR GAS AFTER THE BULLS AND THE BULLPENS AND THE BULLSHIT WHAT IS LEFT? | MEAN LIKE, AFTER YOU KNOW THAT GOD CAN'T BE TRUSTED AFTER YOU KNOW THAT THE SHRINK IS A PUSHER THAT THE WORD IS A WHIP, AND THE BADGE IS A BULLET WHAT IS LEFT? AFTER YOU KNOW THAT THE DEAD ARE STILL WALKING AFTER YOU REALIZE THAT SILENCE IS TALKING THAT OUTSIDE AND INSIDE ARE JUST AN ILLUSION WHAT IS LEFT? | MEAN, LIKE, WHERE IS THE SUN? WHERE ARE HER ARMS AND WHERE ARE HER KISSES? THERE ARE LIP PRINTS ON MY PILLOW | AM SEARCHING WHAT IS LEFT? | MEAN, LIKE, NOTHING IS STANDSTILL AND NOTHING IS ABSTRACT THE WING OF A BUTTERFLY CAN'T TAKE FLIGHT THE FOOT ON MY NECK IS A PART OF A BODY THE SONG THAT I SING IS A PART OF AN ECHO WHAT IS LEFT? | MEAN, LIKE, LOVE IS SPECIFIC 1S MY MIND A MACHINE GUN? IS MY HEART A HACKSAW? CAN | MAKE FREEDOM REAL? YEAH, WHAT IS LEFT? | AM AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF A LOWER-ARCHY | AM IN LOVE WITH LOSERS AND LAUGHTER I AM IN LOVE WITH FREEDOM AND CHILDREN LOVE 1S MY SWORD AND TRUTH IS MY COMPASS WHAT IS LEFT? © Assata Shakur/Joanne Chesimard; courtesy of Assata Shakur Defense Committee. 101