March 8th

I look at you, and I want to know

Where did you get it?

Did you inherit it?

I can bet you bought it,

Or maybe someone let you borrow it.

You might have stolen it,

But if you did, I do not think

You would dare to show it

In broad daylight.

Have you always been like this?

It took me a while to realize that.

When my eyes were still at the level of your knees,

I did not see the sparks twinkling underneath the soles of your shoes,

Nor the flames bursting out from your fingertips.

Why do you raise up your voice,

And your arms,

And your eyes

To the sky?

What does your banner say?

Where did you get it, woman?

Not the banner, woman, not that;

But your breath,

Where did you get it?

I do not think it was for sale.

No one could cheapen it down

That much for you,

And her, and her, and her,

Y ella, et elle,

Auh yehuatl,

Und sie

To be able to pay for it without sacrificing

Something

To get it.

And your breath is just so good, woman,

That it is enough for you to speak,

And sing;

Run, shout, cry,

Scold, comfort,

Breathe,

And make the flowers grow

Out of the cracks on the pavement.

You are no longer part of the sacrifice, woman,

And if you are,

You would not be it without fighting back.

If you can give life, woman,

Why do they rip it off of you?

Raise your voice, woman,

Do you not remember you were born like that?

Don’t forget it, please;

Remember that, underneath the ground you walk on,

Their voices drown;

Seven more per day.

To them you are Medusa,

You are Xtabay,

You are the Grim Reaper,

You are destruction, you are Helen;

Everything you start, you destroy,

And everything you touch, you finish.

Have you already touched the words

Of the one who said you were not worth it?

Your steps light up sparks, woman,

Use them as you should.

The flowers of your arms have thorns, woman,

Raise them up, high up.

You are what you are,

And you are because you want to;

You are rain,

You are drizzle,

You are a storm.

You are a snowfall,

You are a blizzard.

You are a hurricane,

You are the calm, soft breeze.

Your breath is yours, woman,

How long it took me to understand it!

Do with him whatever you want,

Do with him however you please.

Raise up your voice, woman!

Your voice is your strength;

Because if I believed in you when you were quiet,

Imagine what would happen now than you’ve spoken.