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Saturday, July 20, 2019

When Women Had Wings



Far back, in the time
when women had wings,
my foremothers flew.
They sat in council, governing,
around the communal fire.
Their eyes flashed; their utterances
were wise, and respected.
In those times, the waters ran clear,
and the land was bountiful.

In the crooning of the wind,
I hear the names this life has given me:
Walks Far Woman,
Woman Who Talks to Trees,
In Love With the Sea Woman, and
Daughter of the Sky.

Part of me has not yet
fully landed in this place.
My DNA still remembers 
we come from particles of stars.
Our collective memory recalls those times,
when women had wings,
and our foremothers flew,
when living with the land
is what we knew.


A poem from 2014. I was reminded of it while reading If Women Rose Up Rooted by Sharon Blackie. Here is a quote:

"If women remember that once upon a time we sang with the tongues of seals and flew with the wings of swans, that we forged our own paths through the dark forest while creating a community of its many inhabitants, then we will rise up rooted, like trees.........then women might indeed save, not only ourselves, but the world."

Time for women to rise up. Time for the walls of misguided patriarchy to crumble. For the sake of the children and all earthlings.

Shared with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United.


17 comments:

  1. How wonderful to think that at one time women had wings. And yes, indeed, it is time for women - once again - to rise up and see what they can change in the world.

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  2. The paradox of humanity is that in our day-world we fling faster and higher and beyond all ability: but our night-world of primal DNA is the dark master, our ancient great wings. Birds evolved from dinosaurs, two hundred million years older than our first mammal cousins: And yet those leathery pterodactyl wings whisper to us as we dream, come fly with me ... For all the soar in longing, yes and thanks.

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  3. Such a wise and tender poem - I loved it

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  4. We humans could do with more remembering. We need to remember our connection to each other and our own balance. And maybe then meaningful change will happen.

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  5. I often wonder how much more we could do for ourselves and each other, if we listen to the song of those wings... which have never truly left us.

    I love the quote, too.

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  6. Women are indeed a superior species 😊 we can benefit from remembering our roots. A most gorgeous write, Sherry!💖

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  7. Curiously men had always underestimated women until we were engulfed in world wars and women had to do mens work in factories and farms just so countries like Britain could survive. I was so lucky to have become aware in those times that women could do anything.

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  8. This is a "once upon a time" poem. May that time come again...SOON!

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  9. Oh such a lovely poem. Yes, I think we women are the saviors of this world.
    I just finished reading "The Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kidd. It's a novel but has a lot of biography in it. I have the greatest hope for this world because women are rising in responsibility and power. I hope I am one of those women.

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    1. I whole-heartedly feel this as well, Myrna. And no question you are one of these women, as your poetry challenges and lifts us up to share in your hope.

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  10. Love the mystic quality in this piece, Sherry. Personally I think women, are waiting for wise, strong women to come forward and lead them in rising up and setting the planet back on a course that has reverence for all living things - as the menfolk (it seems to me) definitely have lost the narrative. (And what they haven't lost, they appear to be renting asunder with manic gusto.) The Miss Manners rule book has got to go. Times awastin': Women have got to stand up for what is right ... RIGHT NOW. Even if they create a bit of a fuss ~ smiles ~

    When Hillary Clinton stood there (in, I believe, it was, the second presidential debate) and allowed Donald Trump to stand right behind her, staring at her and making faces AND DID NOT TELL HIM TO STOP, she spoke volumes about the current male/female power dynamic. I'm willing to bet: back in the days when women had wings, they were no where near THAT polite. ~ HA ~

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  11. Maybe that's why we have wing bones on our backs!

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  12. I love the word: foremothers. i love the wisdom in this :)

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  13. I've never said "foremothers" till now, but now I think I wont stop using it!! Awesome!

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  14. there's a certain mystical feel to the poem.
    societies, from what we know, has always been patriarchal, but perhaps it is changing. we cannot ignore the strength and contributions of women.

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  15. This truly is a glorious poem Sherry! I love love love it!!

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