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What does it mean to be a Woman?

It means:
holding the power of softness and sanctuary, 
of words and song, 
of compassion and forgiveness; 
but sometimes forgetting that these qualities are not weak, 
but Mighty, 
and therefore shrinking, despite ourselves

It means:
wearing curves for birthing and nurturing; 
rounded breasts for holding babies and scared children, 
or for seducing, (although often without consent); 
for shimmying and jiggling, because we are Beautiful; 
sometimes to be seen but also 
just because we are animals 
who must move our bodies to feel alive

It means:
feeling pressured to please, conform, compete; 
to play dumb, deny our instincts, settle and starve; 
because society whispers those lies in our ears (from birth) – 
that our worth must be validated 
from somewhere outside ourselves

It means: 
being loud and laughing; 
or angry and full of fire; 
or wrenched and weeping; 
(even though they try to shush us) –but 
our voices of pain and joy and fury are a gift, 
and we are not afraid to FEEL

It means:
being fierce and determined, 
bold and forceful, 
because we are constantly pushing against walls 
and dodging shame and guilt;
yet sometimes we are sharpening ourselves beyond recognition 
(taught that angles are preferable to circles, 
although Nature proves otherwise)

It means:
reaching out our hands 
(soft and manicured, veined and calloused, wrinkled and spotty) 
towards each other, because we are sisters 
in our tenderness and our struggle; 
because we are companions in our journey through tyrants; 
because we are collective weavers of Love, 
holding together the broken pieces of humanity

©Vixen Lea 2020