Birth and Rebirth of Possibilities

Last year, I was asked to write a poem for Women’s History Month to be read at Mass, and the priest actually let me read this!  As we close out March and begin April, that month of rebirth, I offer you this:

 A Church for Our Daughters

Would it be stone-clad?
With some rocks left over
For throwing or thrusting?

You sinless go first.

Would it be stone-packed?
Bricked up for the letting
Some in or kept out?

You sinless go first.

Would it be stone-laden?
Rigid and roughened
To halt and to harrow?

You sinless go first.

Would it be stone-brazed?
Patched over and plastered
To catch us, entrap us?

You sinless go first.

Of
Course
We
Don’t
Want
Stone
Clad
Walls.

Our daughters weep against them.
Our daughters pound upon them.
Our daughters turn away.

Sinners and sinless,
Please be my guest:
Tear
Down
These
Walls!

Replace them with –
Oh – I don’t know –
A garden?
A labyrinth?
A prayer?

Or a well!
For the women and Jesus
And men and God’s creatures.

A well
Where we’ll dip in and drink and become
So drunken on sacredness
We’ll build a new home.

And our daughters will lead us, 
Christ-like, they will lead us.
And our daughters will follow us.
All stones left unturned.

You sinless go first.

We’ll follow – or lead?

by Ellie Harty