Womanifesto

This is our manifesto of female power. We sing a story older than time. From pre-Cambrian waters, we the female form fully donned, we the pure of chromosome call in the souls of priestesses birthed since she of the First Waters;                                     Gaia, Anu, Oyas, Nintu, Uma, She.

Rebirthed of these same waters we reclaim our shells. Arching backs, proud high heads, flowing hair, bearded skin, full bellied, nutcracker thighs. Portrayed in the power of the silhouette shadow. The feared feminine they subjugate while still invoking the protection of our image. Lady Liberty, Justicia, Figurehead, Mudflap Girl. We travel with you. We welcome your tired.  We oppressed and idolized and confused into war with ourselves. Instead hear this, We hereforth open our mouths as wide as the world and sing swallow that gaping contradiction holding it at once within these bodies and Reclaiming. Wherever there is the feminine May she evoke how we cannot be denied a birthright of beauty in our every form. We embrace the completeness rising. Mystery.

From archetypes to icons, goddesses to gamines, heroines and whores, we raise one voice of hope even in the darkest nights. Just as the moon will hide. The moon will rise. The moon will rise the moon will hide. Moon rise moon hide. Constant.

Look always up where she watches over our cycles of birth and death. Yes channeling her light we are there when you are born and.   Is it any wonder that in most species we outlive you, escorting you into the world and escorting you again as you take your last breath? Attribute this abiding to unmutated strength. Life grows within our bodies. Then bleeding enigma as we do every month, shedding often in time with the moon, woven with the earth's tides.  As queen of these cycles we reign over pain that brings the Y chromosome to its blathering knees. Our vessel delivers her mythical gifts -life arrives. life departs. The heart breaks the heart mends. We breathe boundless ebb and flow. What has come will go. Witness.

Shameless feared sirens the earth over, Virgin and Hester Prynne let anything that does not revere our bodies and hearts and spirits as Undistilled magic weep with shame, because:

We are Mother. Birthing the every child radiant womb wraps loving arms around even the most forsaken. Birth a word for all that we take to our bosom and of our bodies feed to fullness: craft plant being world.                                                     Mary, Ninmah, Isis, Cybele, Nana.

We are Wise. Wrinkled we shine understanding oceans as we unfurl from watchful girl to venerated crone. Seers hunting. Prophets unsung. Skin paper thin tells truths as careful fingers crochet tutelar cloths for the next generation. Great knowledge rests like diamonds in the folds of our skin.                                                                 Athena, Cerridwen, Saraswati, Maia, Neith.

We are Witch. Priestesses invoking the earth's tidal power into intention pure. Ancient worship alive.  Burn us at the stake and see how we ascend glorified. Calling in the spirits of ancestor wood water mountain, biding binding blessed be.            Circe, Medea, Hecate, Walpurga, Morgaine, Starhawk.

We are Goddess. Timeless totems of beauty love war fertility hunt. Though through the years placed in the shadow of a male deity, cave walls tell of our divinity before the serpent and apple. Arms outstretched commanding creation and destruction.           Diana, Devi, Amana, Lakshmi, Brigid.

We are Healers. Though rent repeatedly we mend ourselves and the knees the bones and hearts of our children. Soothing with hand and song, needle stitch and salve. bandage for the earth and sky. Surging strength of a thousand horses stays us awake lighting lucid nights on end to nurse the helpless and weak through the darkness. Kamrusepas, Coatlicue, Epione, Aja, Parnashavari.

We are Heroine. Destroyer of impediments. Defenders of peace.  Sheroes spirit defiant for what is right. Freedom Equality Home Safety. Find us sitting at the front of the bus. Surviving bullets to our head. Living in tree tops to defend the earth. Taking back the night.                                                                                                    Sekhmet, Kali, Joan-of-Arc,  Blenda, Hangaku-Gozen.

We are Sister. Sorority. We love with a mystical loyalty able to go years and years apart and with one word reconnect as if only a moment has passed.  Sisterhood sows peace, weaving family, we return, open, forgive, embrace, turn the other and begin again.                                                                                                          Narayani, Pleiades, Fates, Eris Aneris.

We are Sorrow. What other being allows its tears so unbridled. In our quiet We pay attention to the cries of the sick and wounded. Drowned and dying. Lonely and alone. We travel the depths of loss because we connect so deeply to that which we love.                                                                                                                       Algea, Nedolya, Gore, Achlys, Hlin.

We are Joy. The music of our laughter lilting is like a symphony of birds, gentle, raucous, soft, melodic cacophony. Listen and we will sing to your soul of what it forgot. For once take us into you. Deep and be open-ed open to the Bright. Komodia, Radha, Sita, Lilith, Rati.

We are Power. WE are power. As all of these things, we cannot be contained. Make your weapons, destroy our world in the shameless quest to find anything that might rival womyn's arrow, pillage as you always have whatever is in your way trying to rise to the top of your material kingdoms.  We resolve to continue to craft something so much greater, unable to be dominated. Fear this.  Because the time will come when no earthly construction will stem our tidal power. Every cell of our beings works toward something greater. We will leave you behind in your selfish, world-killing, wars. And if you are not with us, you will drown in our shallows.

Elizabeth Conway 2014