newlY born
hello, worlD-
I can never be walking porn
Not when I run or dance or play.
Not when I bow or tiptoe or pray.
Not if I bat inviting eyes
or high-kick a lacy straddle in some back room
or evangelize.
Not if I slouch under miskempt hair
Or veil my locks in fervent prayer.
No matter how sequined the sashay
Or how droopy the lacy chassé
Not in front of a lens
under lights or air or men.
Not if I’m bent or crooked or straight
Not if I strip or traipse on a stage
Not if I amble or plod or strut
Not if I moan or wail or sigh
Not if I march or yell or cry
Not from behind or above or the side.
No matter the bounce or the curve or the light.
…
hello, worlD-
A breathing, growing silence, who; is: somEoNe.
PC: j.e. mcgowan photo here
This piece alludes to the brilliant poem by e.e. cummings, which I’ve copied below.
the little horse is newlY
Born)he knows nothing;and feels
everything;all around whom is
perfectly a strange
ness Of sun
light and of fragrance and of
Singing)is ev
erywhere(a welcom
ing dream:is amazing)
a worlD.and in
this world lies:smoothbeautifuL
ly folded;a(brea
thing and a gro
Wing)silence,who;
is:somE
oNe.
-e.e. cummings
Wow. powerful. Thank you for expressing this so beautifully. I long for the day when men of God allow us to just *be* to just exist in our own skin and learn for ourselves what that entails without controlling, labelling, policing, condemning, nor suppressing our feminine bodies. Leaders tell us that God gave us our bodies as a gift, then in the same breath make us despise them as sinful and surrender them to the authority of others. Cognitive dissonance to the max.
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this here <3
YEEEEESSSSSSSSSS YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES.
AMEN.
AMEN.
BEST POEM. Thank you very much for sharing.
Beautiful hope for my lovely sisters throughout my congregation, community, state, country, and world. Let us honor each other as the Sisters that we are …thank you for your beautiful perspective.