There are so many things

Things I see right now

I see skin

Pale, caramel, coffee

Brown, black, mauve, and tan

Freckles, noses, and lips galore

I see red, blue, purple

Pink, orange, yellow

Brown, black, and periwinkle too

I see flushed and bright pink

Crossing some faces

Calves and butts

Ankles and wrists

Necks and waists

I see blue and hazel

Turquoise and brown

Red and green

All colors

Found anywhere around

I see hands in pockets

Tongues hangin’ out

I hear laughter and sighs

Screams of terror and horror

Secrets being kept and shared

I see a menagerie of things

Some big and tall

Some short and small

But really I see

One thing at all

Woman, that’s what it is

Wise beyond her years

A calm beyond her tears

I see her brave and strong

Standing proud and tall

She is a survivor

Nothing can hold her down

From the first to the last

She’s our future and our past

04-05