WAAD POEM
We come into this gathering
Women of different lands
We come—hearts so full of joy
To celebrate our selves
We come! To share within this space
Our stories—songs—and cares
Seeking answers
To who we are
we search for common ground
Sisters,
Look into the mirror
Of each other's eyes
Mothers, daughters
Aunts, grandmothers
Students, writers
Teachers, scholars
We are here to share this dance,
Yet—we are not without a dissonance!
Each brings with her a history—
Some legacy of misery
Experiences not forgotten
Even in these hallowed halls
We struggle to build bridges
Over chasms deep and bare
Born of a history that raised the odd
against our union, hereThis is what we battle,
This is what we are tearing down!
A gender and race oppression
Which kept some of our sisters down
Stand with me, my sister,
Help me beat upon its walls
Brick by brick, we will dismantle it,
And every inch shall fall,From the dust,
We then shall rise
As a phoenix to the skies!
From a past of pain and struggle,
Fly together
towards tomorrow.
Carol Black (WAAD ‘98 Participant)
Return to the AAWS Main Menu