"Alas for those who never sing

But die with their music in their hearts"

A quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes.

My poems are my songs.

They didn’t come pen to paper

Until my voice was liberated

Until my pent up anger

Could be unplugged

By women’s lib, women’s consciousness raising they called it

Way back when

In the 70’s when fury broke lose

In millions of women across the nation

Including this woman in HB

Married with children

No longer able to contain the questions

To live the status quo.

One must choose enlargement and growth

Over those situations that diminish us.

Not to blame

Not to point to jailers on the outside

For it was up to me to see

The way out was in

Into therapy, into school

On the way to rebellion.

I feel so fortunate today

I still have the love and respect

Of my children

And now too, for quite some time

A love of myself

A respect for my unique voice

With the songs I have to share.