The Human Race
by Ann Grogan / October 25th, 2026
considering “Why I Believe Women Even When They Haven’t Said a Word” by Walter Rhein, Medium, August 11, 2026
“The majority of men just don’t care.”
My breathing stopped; my world stood still.
Because I knew it to be true.
I’m eighty-two–nearly always Blue,
feminist-humanist, too.
There are still times like this—
caused by a man admitting what is true.
Showing that he likely is not a member of
the majority of men who just don’t care.
He’s rare. I note and vote that we should
nominate him for a National Register
of Historic Humanist Male Faces,
unwillingly part of the declining race
to human extinction.
“Ladies first.”
Ann Grogan is a joyful octogenarian, pianophile, and retired lawyer who lives in San Francisco, CA. Her writing promotes the unequivocal permission to pursue one’s passions at any age. Her poems have appeared in
Querencia, Amethyst Review, The Prairie Review, Dissent Voice, and
Writers Resist, among others. She is the author of Used Envelopes (chapbook, dancing girl press, winter 2026) and her poem “Used Envelopes” was nominated by the editors of Bloomin’ Onion where it was first published, for “Best of the Net 2026” (Sundress Press). She was named a semifinalist for The Writing Salon’s 2025 Jane Underwood Poetry Prize and for Leftie Blondie’s chapbook competition. Find Ann at
poetrywithapassion.com.
Read other articles by Ann, or
visit Ann's website.
This article was posted on Sunday, October 25th, 2026 at 8:00am and is filed under Poetry.
