Friday, January 13, 2017

Poems of Resistance, Power & Resilience – F.A. Cole

Close up image of a microphone on a stage. The audience that is facing the microphone is blurred, appearing as a myriad of colors (red, white, green, yellow, etc.)
As the incoming administration builds its agenda of attack on marginalized people, on freedom of speech, on the earth itself, poetry will continue to be an essential voice of resistance. Poets will speak out in solidarity, united against hatred, systemic oppression, and violence and for justice, beauty, and community.

In this spirit, Split This Rock is offering its blog as a Virtual Open Mic. For the rest of this frightening month, January of 2017, we invite you to send us poems of resistance, power, and resilience.

We will post every poem we receive unless it is offensive (containing language that is derogatory toward marginalized groups, that belittles, uses hurtful stereotypes, etc.). After the Virtual Open Mic closes, we hope to print out and mail all of the poems to the White House.

For guidelines on how to submit poems for this call, visit the Call for Poems of Resistance, Power & Resilience blog post


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God’s Greatest Invention – WOMAN!
by F.A. Cole

The 31st chapter in the book of Proverbs sums it up, however here are a few more characteristics that best describes woman…

Woman! Empowered by God to do Exploits
In her, is strength and power
Her genetic makeup is Love; Warmth; Integrity and
Perseverance
On her Head she carries her beauty
On her Shoulders; the cares of her world
In her Arms; the joy of giving
In her Womb; greatest inventions and ideas
On her Feet; good tidings
Around her Waist; womanly pleasures                         

She can speak w/out saying a word
Weep w/out shedding tears
Laugh w/out making a sound
Have her child confess to an act just by giving him/her the look
Prepare a three-course meal from a handful of beans and a cup
of wheat
Diane Mariechild said “Woman is the full circle. Within her lies
the power to Create, Nurture, and Transform.”

Often times she is Misunderstood; Misjudged and Misplaced
She’s expected to not have an opinion on the issues of life
To speak if/when spoken to
Live in total subjugation to the opposite sex all the days of her
life
When she speaks out, she’s labeled a Feminist.
She is soft spoken but stern
Trusting but cautious
Fun-loving but responsible
She is adventurous; a go-getter; an entrepreneur
Compassionate; charming; vivacious
Edgy at times but that’s what sets her apart
“She can say more in a sigh than a man can in a sermon”
She is a two-sided mirror; the world see her as impossible
She sees herself as God’s greatest invention – a Phenomenon!
Because, that’s what she is

Her presence is captivating
Her scent; alluring
Her smile; sensuous
Her body a work of art that can never be duplicated
Her love is like a stormy night full of mysteries waiting to be
explored
She is secured in her sexuality and embraces her femininity
        She is Woman!
        Woman indeed!

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