<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">Woman Poem</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We shed blood </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">without violence</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">blend matter and spirit </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">fuse water and womb</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We are Isis</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">rebirthing the sun </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We are Maeve</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">reclaiming the shadow</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We are a mother's peace</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">we hold the mother wound</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">Our blankets are sewn of prayer</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">red cotton, sweetgrass, yarrow </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">plaited into song</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">reclaiming the first medicine</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We are daughters of swords</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">fight to the death</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">for the no that means no,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">hold unfettered roots </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">through green labyrinths </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">to the Supreme </span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We breathe stars into you</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">til the end of breathing</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We hum you to us</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">form tides steering mystery</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">Old ways are ours</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">oak murmuring the first leaves, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">carrying the confluence of all circles </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">endings, beginnings</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">everywhere under your feet</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We shape shift across this land </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">fire the hearth</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">travel the wheel</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">through rusty creaks</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">in awe of small things</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">light workers, all beings</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">the juice that is life</span></p><div><span lang="EN-IE"> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">We are</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-IE">and we are not.</span></p></div><div><span lang="EN-IE"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Aoife Reilly</span></div></div></body></html>