With today's stunning poem, "Gender Veils: Moth Women" by Nina Rubinstein Alonso, Writing In A Woman's Voice will take a vacation until July 30, 2017.  Happy days to all.

Gender Veils: Moth Women     

by Nina Rubinstein Alonso

1. Veils

First time Tangier           

women in black veils                                      

wrapped like moths at night 

wings stuck to our front door

chill November signals winter

or something else meaning unclear 

tubes of dark cloth with

women folded inside

walking fear

because our voices

vibrate high notes judged 

unconvincing meaning female

wrapped in satin shawls

lower the tone try to understand

pressure of gender generations  

no school no vote own no   

property even babies belong to            

‘him’—father brother husband

holy books distort dogma

pulled down from infinite source

as if divine wears gender.

2. Ropes

Woman in a Persian garden

arms chained to a blooming tree

no dancing nymph

no swirl of drapery

she screams she cries            

who wouldn’t go mad 

wearing cuffs of gold or iron

caged prisoner wrists

can’t move

can’t try can’t attempt

let rules from ancient days

bend before my axe.

3. Earth Woman Sky              

                                              

She draws moth wings

dark shapes                                             

luna six spot                        

burnet grey dagger

emperor gum

blotched emerald                  

silver vagabond                   

teardrop orchid

adders mouth

adam and eve                      

fairy slipper name after name

lifting moth woman 

             

bent over hair nailed to the ground

cut free will she stand       

are her legs strong enough                     

can earth wings fly?

4.  Noises of leaden prayer

In the brass heat of day

wrapped women

fear men

carrying weapons  

fear change

I’m one spy of many                        

writing underground pages              

whispering under my veil   

                           

pouring light                

generations forward                

we’ll get shot at 

bleed explanations

before brutes  

hearts nailed tight

as if belief makes                 

violence holy

supposedly sacred

banners wave

fraud as truth 

lies insist

trying to shout us down

with noise of funerals

undulant thunder

of leaden prayer.