Bless These Women

Photo by Emmet Gowin

Bless their thin summer dresses, hanging loosely off their bodies.

Bless the woman in hair curlers, and tonight let her hair fall exactly as she wants it to be.

Bless the baby in utero.

Bless the pearly, white buttons at the nape of her neck, and let them stay attached to the dress forever; may their threads never unravel.

Bless their pale arms, dangling and wrapped around each other.

Bless the thin line of their closed mouths; may they smile when they are amused, or not.

Bless their choices.

Bless the determination in their dark eyes. Bless the tilt of their heads and the daring way they choose to look at the camera.

Bless their trust in the child behind them, that he will stay in place, rake the earth, not drop his tool, turn around, and run towards the trees.

Bless their cool hands, their loose breasts, their sturdy legs.

Bless these women who were girls, friends who are daughters, sisters who are wives, children who became mothers.

Bless these women.

Bless women.