I commend every woman who:
spoke and was silenced
slept and was slaughtered
sought employment and was eviscerated
suffered much and suffer still
dreamt and was denigrated
breathed and was broken
read and was reprimanded
remembered and can’t forget
forgot and can’t remember
stood and was forced to take a seat
thought and had the thought knocked out of her
hoped and was harmed
prayed and was preyed upon
drank and was destroyed
conceived life and lost it
birth life and left it
ripened and was sold like fruit
never ripened and was ripped apart
rose from the ruin
worked through the weary
protected the precious
found what was lost
became despite the barriers
learned from the loss
who are women by chance
who are women by choice
ran when she wouldn’t win
won when she couldn’t lose
In solidarity with my many sisters who have suffered much and suffer still.
I love the beauty that lives in you.
LA