On Being Woman (For all of us)

She wants to rock her life

Do it herself, under her own power

Nothing else will do

Still, she seeks one with darkness and light

In his soul, and truth in his eyes

Unflinching, Fire inside

To match her own

She knows who she is

Walks the everyday

Endless minutia

Dispatch it all, everything in it's place

Honor, joy in the sweet traditions

Don't become anesthetized

Surrounded, often she wonders

Do any of these truly know me?

Feeling alone in a crowd

Beauty, joy, tragedy

Walk through it

Keep them safe, heart pierced when you cannot

Strength lies in what some call your weakness

Feel keenly the pain 

Of loss, separation, fear, heartache

But daily she will wake up, make up and take up

That which is hers

Head held high, she wipes her tears

Smiles, and makes it right for them

A double edged sword, to be sure

She cannot keep them safe and close 

In every moment 

Indeed, she knows

Sometimes love means hands off

While they fall 

And so she loves

Fiercely

And she knows enough
To honor and love herself too

It is not in denying pain and fear

That she finds strength

But in facing it

And walking forward anyway

In spite of it