BOUQUETS TO STRONG WOMEN

My daughter, Lisa, and her brood

Stephanie

Bouquets to strong women:
to single moms with hungry kids,
who say "this is the pits,
but I'll do the best I can",
who work their hearts out
to make sure their kids
have food and shoes,
even if there's never
enough of anything, ever.

To women with bright minds and hearts
trapped inside of bodies that dont work,
who know that sometimes
when we cant choose
the situation we are in,
the only choice we have left
is the attitude
with which we live the life
we have been given,
and who do so with grace
and with a "yes I can!"
because the alternative
is death
and we choose life,
knowing it is a precious gift,
whatever package
it comes wrapped in.

To worn out women,
tired,
at fifty and at sixty,
after a lifetime of struggle
and hard work,
who have not just
survived
but have
transcended,
who face old age alone,
without money,
but with heart
and hope
and humor,
because when the choice is
to either laugh or cry,
we just crack up laughing,
life's so funny;
who gave up waiting for Prince Charming
and are outside chopping our own wood,
because we need the heat,
writing poems about courage
in our heads at the same time.

To all of us
who've come through the fire
and the pain
with whole hearts
still able to see
the beauty of the sky,
I send bouquets!!!
I love the day to day courage,
the smiling eyes,
the wise and worn out faces,
and the "keep on truckin'" attitude
of strong women.