International Women’s Day

Really, it’s more than us
We’re everywhere, as you know
We have to be
There is no more without us

Shouldn’t that own for us
Respect

And, if nature is not enough,
Then
Consider what we give
Professionally

We gave the X-ray
We gave a right sense of
Nationalism (think on all
The women kings remembered,
Not the kings, like men’s, we
All strive to forget)

We gave you victory in France
Revolutionary pride in the USA
Freedom-speaking around
The world—which goes on
Still: note the young woman
Receiving the Nobel

We are more than
Parenthetical—we are
Partners and princes,
Inventors and advocates

In advocacy, we support so
Much more than ourselves

We write, we preach, we
Make—we take our part with God
In co-creation

Our capacities are great

They’re great for
Pain—for ages until now

What happens next? That
Is the consequential question

To which responding
Requires all of us, unless

You wish a final rebellion
That might take out all
But probably will simply
Leave only us

And who wants that
On and in this day

C L Couch