The Woman In You

Jennifer Siraganian

You have a
woman
in you
that you must feed with ambrosia
except that she doesn't have rosy fingers
And her nose is pointy
and her nipples are aimed in crooked angles.
But I smile at you
because you have a woman in you
who eats raisins and yogurt
and speaks when not asked
and talks of flowers and petals
and stone.
You have a woman in you
who is hungry for life
in its grainy substance
and hungry in her sweetness.
When she smiled, did she smile at you?
because you have a woman in you
and she is proud.
When they tell her to stand like a man
she stands like a woman.
You have a woman in you
because Sappho was your grandmother
Gloria Steinem was your mother
Ani DiFranco was your sister
and you are you.

Go home!