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Prairie Women

Prairie Women

I love the road-map faces of Prairie Women,
Piercing, knowing eyes looking far away,
Sinewy strength 'neath calico dresses,
Did they hope beyond - to us someday?

So tanned and competent to fill in the blanks 
When someone became sick or some man would fall,
They could toss themselves on a horse's back,
Ride fearless to a neighbor's child's call.

Then after holding man or child with fever,
Cook brown biscuits and drive cows' hay carts.
Put on a black church dress, hair in a bun,
Sing faith with strong and noble hearts.

Love was action, nor pretty words,
Rough hands smoothed many a brow
They didn't live long, but lived so well,
I love the road-map faces of Prairie Women.

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Dennis Spilchuk

Date: 6/4/2019 9:13:00 PM

Strong praise for prairie women. Wonderful write & enjoyable read.

Sunlite Wanter
Date: 6/5/2019 9:44:00 AM

Thank you so very much.

Kathleen Kroll

Date: 12/18/2016 1:03:00 PM

A wonderful write. It is such a knowing tribute to pioneer women. I love the first line phrase of road-map faces of Pioneer Women and the remainder of the poem expands this so well. Kathy

Sharon Gulley

Date: 9/7/2016 12:15:00 PM

Just returning and reading once more and I loved it even more the second time around. A (7) for me and a Fav. : ) Sharon

Sunlite Wanter
Date: 9/8/2016 9:32:00 AM

I really do appreciate your two comments, Sharon! I had such women before me.

Sharon Gulley

Date: 9/7/2016 12:13:00 PM

A beautiful tribute to the women of yesterday. I love this heartfelt warm write Sunlit, it touches my imagination of the old west and my heart. Wide Open Spaces. Sharon : ) Hugs

Becca Teagan

Date: 8/10/2016 12:38:00 AM

awesome write! I think you've describe this well.

Gerald Kithinji

Date: 8/7/2016 11:10:00 AM

Love was action, not petty words...

Cheryl Hoffman

Date: 8/6/2016 8:49:00 PM

Yes they were the brave salt of the earth! Great poem!:)

Vladislav Raven

Date: 8/6/2016 8:48:00 PM

Hi Sunlite, an excellent write for the women of the past. Your words describe them so well. A hard life and it would take a special woman to live it. I always love looking back in history, always interested in how people lived. Your words held my attention from the beginning to the end. This has to be a seven Sunlite. Hugs....Mike. XX