A Call to Wise Women

Misunderstood throughout history
you were tortured, drowned, burnt
and now, amid the intensity
of climate change, plague and war,
you have seen humankind at its worst.

Forget the shamans,
Mentors and Chirons,
all male, muscle-bound,
bristling with testosterone.

We need you wise women,
you Earth mothers who listen
to sky, air and soil beneath your feet,
the quickening of the seasons’ beat.
You understand the textures of rain
and can green our planet once again.

We call on you to come together and pledge
your gentle hands to guide us from the edge.

Kim M. Russell, 20th April 2024

‘The Magic Circle’ by John William Waterhouse, 1886

Good morning poets! It’s Saturday, the twentieth day of Na/GloPoWriMo, and I’m delighted to see that the featured participant is my friend Jane at The Four Swans! I must admit that I was stumped at first by today’s NaPoWriMo prompt: writing a poem that recounts a historical event; but I was relieved to see that we can draw on memories as well as encyclopedias, history books and primary documents. I’m a bit off prompt, but I found my inspiration in an old poem from 2020, which I’ve recycled and given a new title.

22 thoughts on “A Call to Wise Women”

  3. We were whispered to by the same source, Kim. All of the mass movements that make up our history, whether behind a flag, a religion, a political ideology or a single showman, are fueled by the same aggression, violence and hatred. Always men waving the flags, always women and children who suffer first and most.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. Pingback: A Gathering of Wise Women – writing in north norfolk

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.