Image by Luisa Azvedo
Womyn of the earth,
we are rising, all over the world:
primal, wild,
womyn of the wind
and the ocean's roar,
womyn in sisterhood with trees,
clothed in moss green and salal,
mists and cloudlings in our hair
dotted with the last morning stars.
We are rooted, connected;
understanding all living things
are interdependent,
as we move through damaged forests,
planting trees and dreams and hope
for tomorrow's children,
and all non-human creatures.
Strong, sure-footed, eyes bright,
we are coming:
to plant trees,
to clean streams,
to rescue abused animals and children,
to heal their pain.
We make obeisance
to the morning sun,
salute the four directions,
proclaim, loud and strong,
the new day that is coming.
Out of the ashes of patriarchy,
we are rising:
to turn off the money-greed,
(for we know there is Enough for all);
to turn on the nurturing, the restoring,
the repairing, the healing, the cleansing.
Our inner fire will burn away
the dead-spirited and the dross,
transforming this earth to
healthy growth after so much loss.
It's a new day.
Mother Earth is crying out in relief
that the wild womyn
of the new dawn and the ancient cave
are on the march.
Everywhere She is rising,
planting seeds and hope.
Dew-blessed, singing, joyous,
billions strong,
we know this world can be
better than it is.
Mother Earth can be healed,
but not by corporate greed
and corrupt power.
We know peace can come,
through social justice,
not through war and killing.
We are coming,
we womyn who listen
to the moon, the tides
and the seasons,
we, to whom the earth speaks
of its ways and its reasons.
Wild Womyn all,
we dance on the earth,
claiming our power,
for this, and no other,
must be our most
impassioned and determined
hour.
Some positivity for earthweal. I wrote this in 2018, when things were somewhat less dire. But we go on, and we live in hope, because living without it is not an option.
It’s about time the womyn of the earth demonstrated the way life should be on this earth, Sherry, and your poem is a wonderful clarion call. I love the portrait of those womyn as:
ReplyDelete‘womyn of the wind
and the ocean's roar,
womyn in sisterhood with trees,
clothed in moss green and salal,
mists and cloudlings in our hair
dotted with the last morning stars’
and the thought of us in damaged forests ‘planting trees and dreams and hope / for tomorrow's children, / and all non-human creatures’.
womyn of the elements will help pave the way in a distraught world. There is strength and promise in your words. May it be so.
ReplyDeleteTake it as deep draught of affirmation for such trying times. Hope the downsizing is going OK.
ReplyDeleteMuch needed hope and positive spirit - though gender struggles are alive and well in most parts of the world. We do need to find our way out of those ashes of patriarchy.
ReplyDeleteBring on the new day!! The women will rise!
ReplyDeleteI love this, Sherry! The countries ruled by women seem to be dealing a lot better with the pandemic, I couldn't help but notice: perhaps because they don't get distracted by masculine power-ganmes and posturing!
ReplyDelete