Faces

for our sisters

Faces

 

This week:

I wore black, because I care.

And colors, because I can.

I said I love you to someone

and it is not against any law

for me to say those words.

I wore pants and a blouse

that showed my body

and was not whipped.

I was not blamed for a plague.

I took a bus by myself,

no man by my side except

other passengers. I turned my face

to the sun and ate an ice cream.

In public. I wrote

a controversial political opinion

and did not have to hide

myself in the trunk of a car

and flee across a border.

I defended myself

to the landlord and was not

beheaded. I had coffee

with a married man

and my family was not

kidnapped. I am over 40

and am not married.

This is not a crime. Yet.

 

On one side, they ask me,

why do you call yourself

a feminist? You do not seem

to hate men. You should stay in

your lane.  On the other side,

they ask,

why write about love

when there is so much more

important to focus on? You should

branch out.

 

I am lost, the words come hard

today. Hailstones freezing

in my heart, piercing

sinew and muscle. I will not

look away- if only because I know

so many others, will. I am still free,

I say- even if only in my own

mind. Their god demands a sacrifice

asks them to die. I write about love,

because in times of war, loving

openly, freely- are acts of faith.

Having passion in a world

that kills joy is the supreme act

of courage. I am feminist, I say,

and will remain feminist

until all of my sisters, everywhere

one week:

can wear colors. show faces.

love. exist. choose not to pray.

not marry. ride a bus. drive a car.

tell men to listen.

tell men to leave them alone.

tell men anything,

they do not want to hear.

Nobody is free until we all

have a face and can wear it

how we want.

 

 

 

Reviews

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

", loving openly, freely- are acts of faith." These words touched me deeply as all of them did for their powerful truth behind them. They speak to me of a great spirit and inspiration who had influenced most of my writing and the heart from which I speak, because she is still in it. Thank you Marie for the words you share woven of compassion and empowerment of spirit only a great voice can speak.

[KAREN]

I love this write!
Nobody is free until we all
have a face and can wear it
how we want

[LJW]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mattavelli]

Hello, Marie! :)
Please try to control yourself. Your wild behavior could have been what spawned the covid. Wearing pants and eating ice cream... Haha
It hurts to see people being abused.

[John the Baptist]

A lot of very powerful images in this one. Indeed, let the world weep for the women of Afghanistan, and let their captors be held responsible.