For strong women - no more headaches!

In Valley Haggard's Creative Nonfiction Class, we read Marge Piercy's poem "For strong women".  I'm working on getting permission to reprint it here, but if I can't, you can look at her site.  Here's the link to the book this poem is in.

The oddest thing occurred when we read it.  We always go around and read a paragraph each.  When it got to me, I found myself reading the lines, "...A strong woman... is trying to butt her way through a steel wall./Her head hurts."

I cracked up since I was suffering so excruciatingly from headaches a few weeks ago, and everyone in the class knew it.

Here is my written response to Marge's amazing poem:

Now I understand what my headaches were about.  Thank you, Valley.  Thank you, Marge.  "A strong woman is determined to do something others are determined not be done...  She is trying to butt her way through a steel wall.  Her head hurts."

Renewing

Yep.  I am butting my head through a steel wall.
I will get through it.
I actually will.
There are thousands helping me,
cheering me on,
butting with me.
They, too, want this wall down
They, too, won't take no for an answer.
Others' distress and fear will not stop me.
Nor will my own.
Nor will the headaches.

The power in my belly
will break through the wall.
And a glorious
celebration there will be!
Women dancing in the streets,
naked breasts flopping as
they jump up and down
in Hurrahs.
Breasts squeezing loose breasts in
exultant celebration at finally being
free
to be
beautiful.
Hips and bellies
loose flesh dangling,
Bones and ribs and thin skin
gently
being caressed
by the wind,
free to grow as well.
Young ones,
old ones,
loved, beloved,
old and young,
beloved,
accepted,
heralded,
celebrated.

So much
communal power
to embrace the planet
to usher it gently
through to its next stage
regeneration,
re-birth,
Who better to take it there than
women
who understand from birth
the power of creativity
and kindness
and compassion,
who know
love grows
upon love
upon acceptance.

Renewable is our middle name
We renew ourselves daily
as we look in the mirror
and decide to move on
and go into the world
and live another day.
We renew life
as we give birth
to the next generation
and to words
and to music
and to art
and as we dance our fundamental life-giving rhythms,
attuned to the microcosm
and the max.

We are women.
We are life-givers.
Together we break through this steel wall
We bring our power to the rebirth of this Earth, together.