What does it mean to be a woman in today’s society?
It means working hard without any pay,
Without any say,
Without a chance to prove your worth.
It means bleeding through the night;
Not putting up a fight
Against laws created before your birth.
It means objectivity
Not directed at any possessions you may own,
But at your body’s expense, for the sake of levity.
But
It also means standing up
When the whole world expects you to stay seated.
Womanhood means pouring out the cup
Of bottled emotions that others tell you to seal
When things get heated.
It means being there for those
Who need a soft, calm hand to lift their spirits;
Someone there to help them heal.
Women are from whom all life flows.
Without the brains or brawn of girls,
There would be no work, law, or sense of humor.
There would be no need for protest,
Because there would be no one around to hear
Or cause those cries.
I ask again: what does it mean to be a woman?
It means pain, with all its bumps,
All its bruises,
All its tears.
It means happiness, with all its
Laughter,
Smiles,
And embraces.
Being a woman means being proud of taking up
And providing space in this world.