I give thanks to the sun
for turning my skin
into the deep
warm hues
of my aunties,
whose hands
I admired
as they prepared
our food,
their wrists
adorned
with silver
delicately engraved
and freckled with turquoise.
-Metis
she steps out
she steps out
into the void
unsure
where her footsteps
will fall
as she steps
into the darkness
each step
illuminates the ground before her
a path paved in “me toos”
by women
who bravely stepped out before her
preparing the way
at great cost to themselves
creating the path so others could follow
women everywhere
young and old
bear witness
gathering the courage to tell their stories
-it wasn’t in vain
current climate
the wind
always present
whispering through the trees
a cool breeze on a warm day
a mighty force
willfully contained
unnoticed
taken for granted
as she gently rearranges the clouds
slowly rolls in the weather
but when she calls upon the seas
and the mighty waves come crashing down
when she calls upon the earth
and she uproots the trees
when she calls upon the skies
and lets forth a furious storm
only then does the earth begin to take notice
-like we’ve never seen
smile
Making a Woman
make her smaller than the male of her species
fault her
and her thirst for knowledge
for the fall of human kind
give her a womb
let it define her
mother of humanity
drain her of her energy for several days each month
give her a surge of hormones
combine it with discomfort and pain
give her breasts
to nourish her young
let them become objects of sexuality
to be lusted after
tell her how and when they are appropriate
give men ownership over her
allow her to be given away
give her sexual urges
chastise her for acting on them
at all
or too often
give her a desire for knowledge
the ability to cure ailments
and the yearning to gather with others like her
burn her
stone her
lock her away
give her a love for the earth
let her care for it and cultivate it
raise her children upon it
but not own it.
give her a mind
make it powerful
combine wisdom with empathy
make her fight for her vote
give her the desire to succeed
and the ability to work hard
pay her less than her coworkers for performing the same tasks
dress her in high heels
underwire
strapless dresses
and tiny bathing suits
constantly evaluate her
loudly make it known if her body is
or isn’t pleasing
whisper in her ear that beauty is more important than inquisitiveness or strength
create several billion dollar industries to tell her her body is not good enough
capitalize on the insecurities you created
give her a voice strong and full of conviction
speak over her
ignore her
when she speaks of sexual assault
harassment
and misconduct
call them claims
dismiss her completely
ask her how she could have prevented it
give her control over her body
give her the right to say no
do not protect her under the law
consider the life of the vicious
twenty minutes ought not to define him.
tell her she’s equal
ignore her as she explains the truths of the past and the present
give her tenacity
courage
and a vision
watch as she stands
clears her throat
and prepares to speak
again
confident and in unison
hand in hand
with her sisters
until she is heard
until she is understood
until she is equal