Out of the Shadows

By Jennifer H. Catto

 

Ladies, the dark angels of our spirits are dancing now.

Left and Right

We have that in common

Many of us taking the medicine

Of our own voices, our own steps.

Moving across a dark infinity

We march

Carrying signs — some sweet, some tough, some sardonic

Love Trumps Hate!

Keep your tiny hands away from my vagina!

And the Putin signs. Oh, the Putin signs!

All of it,

Salted by a sea of pussy hats

And we welcome it all

 

We say yes and yes and yes and yes

We hold each other up

We march and laugh toward the light

We got this, we say

And then we disperse,

 

A cloud of gnats zigzagging every which way

Some fighting, some avoiding, some grieving

Some dreading, some hoping, some shouting

Some organizing, many pulling together

We are an undulating cloud

Held together by an unwavering force

We are a colony

 

And we will march again

Next time we march, when new sisters join in

New sisters from the other side of the fence

Holding new signs, and shouting new messages

The oppressors will want us to say no

They are doing everything in their power to make sure we WILL say no

But divide and conquer, that age-old trick,

Is out from the shadows

So let us say yes

Yes and yes and yes and yes

To our new sisters, joining us

Let us say yes

Yes even to our own unclaimed darkness

Let’s keep getting this

Let’s keep getting this

 

Jennifer H. Catto writes fiction and news features and is working on a “spiritual, coming-of-age” novel. She has a masters in writing from Johns Hopkins University. Also, she loves music, dancing, and playing the drums.