Poetry by Dani Holway: war
war1
twenty-seven bones
washing, wondering, weaving
soothing soft hands
in place of shining eyes
we cannot see-
women look toward muted
canaries and blue-grey
gnatcatchers
plastered to paper
walls meant to crumble
these dutiful ruins a graveyard
of suffrage
litters the floor a century
of protest
girlies, keep your eyes down
brimming with feminine
throngs of fire,
wash the blood and salt from face,
call to arms,
repair muddy hems,
consider our construction steeped in power,
sing these war hymns that
stir like spoons in our evening tea.
Based on a series of prints by American artist Mary Cassatt. These include Woman Bathing (1890-91), Maternal Caress (1890-91),and The Letter (1890-91).
