This weekend, I was in San Antonio, Texas for my best friend Anne Tramer's wedding. Her aunt, Carol Blonder, who is also a member of She Writes, read this poem at an all-women event Anne's mother hosted at her home, and as soon as I heard it, I wanted to hang it on my wall and read it every day like a devotion. I absolutely love it, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Thanks to Carol for sharing it...
Imagine a Woman
Patricia Lynn Reilly, 1995
Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is a woman.
A woman who honors her experience and tells her stories.
Who refuses to carry the sins of others within her body and life.
Imagine a woman who trusts and respects herself.
A woman who listens to her needs and desires.
Who meets them with tenderness and grace.
Imagine a woman who acknowledges the past's influence on the present.
A woman who has walked through her past.
Who has healed into the present.
Imagine a woman who authors her own life.
A woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf.
Who refuses to surrender except to her truest self and wisest voice.
Imagine a woman who names her own gods.
A woman who imagines the divine in her image and likeness.
Who designs a personal spirituality to inform her daily life.
Imagine a woman in love with her own body.
A woman who believes her body is enough, just as it is.
Who celebrates its rhythms and cycles as an exquisite resource.
Imagine a woman who honors the body of the Goddess in her changing body.
A woman who celebrates the accumulation of her years and her wisdom.
Who refuses to use her life-energy disguising the changes in her body and life.
Imagine a woman who values the women in her life.
A woman who sits in circles of women.
Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets.
Imagine yourself as this woman.
Fine poem! I will read it to my ms. writing/reading group so more people can appreciate it. Good wishes from Carole Spearin McCauley.
I think I should print this one out!
Very inspiring. Love it Thanks for sharing Kamy
Lee Hong
Wow!
BRILLIANT POEM! MAKES US FEEL BETTER AND WISER ABOUT BEING WOMEN.
Here's the homepage for this wonderful poem. and there are two versions!!!
That is beautiful and so positive!
Thanks for sharing this Kamy. That's going up on my wall in front of my writing desk to give me hope back when I lose faith in the world, and I shall be taking it to a creative writing class I'm helping with at the weekend.
We are so much more than a pretty face, and age and experience in women is beautiful, too.
Yay!
Juliet
I love It. I, too, plan to give this a place of honor in my space and reread, reread, reread.
I love this, too. Very well done.
Here's my vote too! I really love this one.
Absolutely breath-taking! I am posting this on walls around my house for my daughters and my sons!
I love this, kamy.
Beautiful.
Kamy,
This is a wonderful poem. I have used it at the end of every workshop for women that I conduct. There were so many requests for a copy, that I just have copies ready for them to take home. I never had the writer's name. I'm so glad you included it.