I Cry

I saw a woman, beautiful and battered, Scattered in her mind, From ugly times, and ugly rhymes, and bodies bound, and hateful sounds. And she writhed in a cage of self loathing. Each day she would cut her heart in two, an each day, cultures would feed on her soul, And many might say that she should be thrown away, But there is a strength, A profound courage, And I see it day by day, As she forces the food into a stomach that wants to die, And so I Cry. For her beauty is like the phoenix, who submits to death, Just to rise and rise high, When people deride, or chide, or snicker, or snide, Just know my phoenix sisters and brothers, That God sees you and rejoices, For your very lives mock cruelty, And your hearts turn coal to Gold, And I see you flying through the sky, And I Cry.