questions

what will it matter
a hundred years from now
if women poets, writers, preachers
are not talking about
what matters to women
what matters to the world

what will be the difference
in the way the world relates to women
the difference in what we feel
our bodies, our spirit
in how we treat our children
our teachers, our political and spiritual leaders

will our voices have made a difference

will our kindness have mattered
will our silence have proven to be best choice
will what we didn't say be the death of us

what will our great strengths have been
what are we saying with our words, our actions
what are we saying and agreeing to
about ourselves

what are our boundaries
who are we allowing to cross them
and why
how are we spending our
time, money, energy

what will our last words be
and to whom

what kinds of lives are we living
what questions are we asking
and to whom

what are our hobbies, our outlets
what does the body of our work say
about us