Sister Love

by Kathleen Murphey

Sister love;

she knows,

she remembers.

On occasion, we have fought and fought,

and yet we are forever bonded by sister love,

because she knows, she remembers.

She’s my sister

by blood, by bond, by common experience.

Sisterhood is special, sacred, and sustaining.

I see my life in you;

you see yours in mine.

When we think like sisters,

we make the world a better place.

Sisters care about

her face, her space, her place, her case.

I am my sister’s keeper,

and she is mine.

Toni Morrison’s “Cinderella’s Step-Sisters” says it too.

According to her, the crime in Cinderella,

is those sisters not standing up for their other sister, step-sister or no.

Sisters united, and there isn’t anything we can’t do.

Lean In and support each other

—that’s what we must to do.

Sisterhood, womanhood, girlhood, motherhood.

Fellowship becomes ladyship?

Stewardship becomes what?

Sistership or femaleship?

Or is the female steward only a housekeeper or nursemaid?

Let go masculine and feminine

and concentrate

on humane for everyone,

that’s what a sister would do.

* * * * *

Kathleen Murphey is an associate professor of English at Community College of Philadelphia. Recently, she has been writing fiction (both short stories and poetry) on women’s and social justice issues. To learn more about her work, see www.kathleenmurphey.com.