Woman I Am

 Sardana Oberta di Manuel Alvarez from Fundació Fran Daurel Museum, Spain 
  

The pillow below my head,

I hear the last train go by,

Rumbling the inner void of my heart,

Asking to release my silence,

Woman I am,

Woman I will always be.

Woman I am,

For I still need to think,

Before I step out of my home,

And, the time I head back,

Woman I am,

For I still have to choose to wear,

Appropriate,

Not to appease me,

Not to satisfy me,

But, my mother, my father, everyone else,

Woman I am,

Woman I will always be.

Woman I am,

Because of the womb I carry,

The one thing that I need to protect,

Or so they tell me,

That’s how I have been brought up,

That’s all I become,

Without intending to be,

Woman I am,

Because of the blood I shed,

The one thing that some God decided,

The “impurity” of it that shuns you away from me,

Woman I am,

Woman I will always be.

Woman I am,

Not only for these,

Woman I am,

Not only for the love and care,

That I can give,

Woman I am,

For every morning I rise,

From a slumber to realisation,

I take pride in everything innate,

Everything I have learned,

Woman I am,

Because of all things I can be,

Woman I am,

For everything you don’t want me to be,

Woman I am,

For me, for me, for me,

Woman I am,

Woman I will always be.