"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission."
- Eleanor Roosevelt -
(Retrieved at http://bridgesforwomen.ca)
This is a poem I wrote in honor of International Women's Day, which took place on March 8th, 2013.
"Her Radiance"
Strong. Stunning. Soulful.
Her radiance shines straight through overcast skies
Peering down upon a street corner
A Tuesday morning coffee shop
Where lattés meet inspiration
Fingers stained with ink as she writes
As she fights the stereotypes
And challenges the suits sitting behind lofty desks
Those who send her letters containing polite declines
Telling her that her aspirations are frivolous
But she writes with hope
Not to pay the bills or achieve fame, but to explore meaning on paper
To invite others on a journey made tangible
In Seattle, this woman's radiance shines.
Clever. Compassionate. Conscientious.
Her radiance sings as it's carried by the wind
Across towns built from tents
A modest, make-shift clinic
Where medical supplies meet smiles
Hands tire as she treats illness and disease
As she delivers relief to children who should be naive
Yet intimately know disaster and its companions
That loneliness which seeps in when the world has turned a blind eye
But she heals more than physical ailments
She heals hearts with loving kindness
Not to advance her career, but to save lives
To show that, indeed, someone does care
In Haiti, this woman's radiance sings.
Warm. Witty. Willful.
Her radiance glistens atop grassy hills of emerald
Old houses along narrow roads
A path marked with historical footprints
Where stubborn memories meet empathy
Wrinkles form from hearty laughter
Replacing frown lines once inherited
As she bestows motherly wisdom
And teaches that God loves all of His creation
The language of "us" and "them" divided homes, devastated nations
But she carefully crafts stories and recipes
Not to erase the past, but to nourish the future
To ameliorate the bittersweet taste of identity
In Ireland, this woman's radiance glistens.
Intelligent. Introspective. Inspirational.
Her radiance echoes from mountaintops
Calling to thousands below
A one-room schoolhouse
Where education meets defiance
Eyes wide open and heart pounding
As she stands by her beliefs and stands up to worldly power
Placing her trust in the All-Knowing
These figures mock and threaten
They may take her life or strip her of possessions
But she responds with courage and dignity
Not to bring honor to her name, but to empower her sisters
To selflessly give so others can receive
In Afghanistan, this woman's radiance echoes.
Bold. Brave. Benevolent.
Her radiance cleanses the dry, thirsty earth
Washing away the dirt like a monsoon
A government building reaching pillars toward the sky
Where tragedy meets activism
Voice rises with the tides of change
As she protests the gruesome violence
And the silence that so often remains
Even when rape and abuse are made salient
Those who use sociocultural comfort zones as an excuse to hide
But she breaks down barriers
Not to disown her homeland pride, but to alter societal priorities
To bring justice to victims and resilience to survivors
In India, this woman's radiance cleanses.
Gentle. Generous. Genuine.
Her radiance strikes like a drumbeat
Offering rhythm to the majestic Cape
A neighborhood of tainted shacks
Where impoverished despair meets strength
Feet exhausted as she walks miles to work
As she patiently perseveres through manual labor
And bears more bruises than wages at the day's end
A rainbow nation no longer moving forward
While a few blocks away, lighter skin means prosperity
But she walks every day for her family
Not to accept the status quo, but to put food on the table
To show her children that difficult sacrifices don't signal defeat
In South Africa, this woman's radiance strikes.
Driven, passionate, humble women
Of every color and creed
From every corner, nook, and cranny
They illuminate the velvet sky
Like paper lanterns floating high...
high,
higher.
Their beauty and strength light up the world's darkness.
These words honor women across space and time
Those of the past and those of the future
Whose radiance shall remain everlasting.
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