the woman I am

one of the first poems I wrote, one of the handful I brought with me to the cafe, dusted it off and brought it back cause of something I just read

I won't be buried in choices, chained by vanity.

No fainting, feigning, fawning female here.

You'll have to look beyond my un-styled hair

And the face that isn't made up.

This is me.

I am bare feet, books and blue skies.

I am blue jeans, boots and my warm, wool sweater.

I am able and willing to learn things for myself.

I will build on the strengths of the women who came before.

I will feed armies, and carry babies, and kill spiders--

When I need to.

And I will teach my daughters to be strong.

Reviews

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'the woman I am'
Emily B,
Refreshing to simply be, to just live, breathe, feel, work...because it is necessary.
There is a time and a place for every season of one's life.
Live and learn...who do we need to please? Hard lesson I would rather not take.
The last three lines worked for me;
"I will feed armies, and carry babies, and kill spiders..
When I need to.
And I will teach my daughters to be strong."
Hard work and consistency are in building ourselves, our children and sometimes others.
Bless you,
Kathy

[Emily B]

I had forgotten this one. I miss that young poet. Her voice had so much light in it.

[Fallacy Pharmacy]

I love this!

Very good, full of feminism poem-just what I like. Very well done!

[Alicante lullaby]

very inspiring...you are brave to stand as you are...without styled hair and curls and make up,in your jeans and books...i'll be reading it again...a gem found...

[W.k.kortas]

I like the short, sharp nature of the penultimate line; it makes it stand out as it should--it is the nature of womanhood, maybe adulthood, do what has to be done when it must be done. The use of repetition is judicious and effective. This is the good stuff.

[Creepy Swine Guy]

This is a spectacular pronunciation of self. It is strong, confident and unwavering. I absolutely LOVE it. I especially liked these lines ...

>>>This is me.
I am bare feet, books and blue skies.
I am blue jeans, boots and my warm, wool sweater.
I am able and willing to learn things for myself.

[Zatoichi]

you have defined beauty with this poem. thank you

[Patient Poet (Yos)]

Thats such a beautiful honest poem , I love the Mom voice that came at the end , not sure all women have that ability to protect and teach her girls to be strong, to be what they are .... Thank you Yossi

[cest la vie]

I echo Charles words and will add a few of my own.
It's because of women like you that our gender is rising to the top and sending strong, capable young women unto the world.

This is an anthem and I absolutely love it..

[Charles]

I like brief, unadorned poems like this once in a while... thay state the case, rest a while and get up for more (when they're good and ready). That it should come from your pen (figuratively speaking) is no surprise. You are who you are, but even with those 'unstyled' geatures, you write a good poem. :-)

[Phibby Venable]

i love this still! and i believe all of the above very strongly.
it sounds as though you descended from strong women.
beautiful, Emily!