Woman of the world,
your beauty glows in the sun;
your innocence is a beacon
which will draw men from far and wide
to trample on your freshness,
and pour disease and decay into your bones;
they will pin you up and objectify your flesh
and make of you something you are not –
a commodity,
a Thing to be owned and manipulated.
You will mark the seasons on a calendar,
and offer your bed to gain the intimacy you crave,
but ever and anon it will elude,
a mist,
something not to be grasped.
Your bloom will give way in time to others.
Their freshness will not show yours at best advantage,
and what sway you held in your tenuous castle will crumble at your feet.
You will wear a ring and bear young
and find solace in the vices afforded to you,
poverty draping your spirit like a veil,
a leech to suck your soul dry at its source.
Woman of the world,
how can this be?
Is this all that you can grasp?
Can you not hope for more for your daughters,
whose beauty shines in innocence,
drawing men like flies to the sacrificial lamb?
There is One who sees,
who loves,
who designs and creates in skilled purpose,
Whose hands give beauty as your gift, not your curse.
Rise up,
woman of the world!
Yours is a road to blessing,
despite the churlish use your counterparts clutch in strong hands.
Through you comes life,
hope,
feminine grace.
Your is a beauty of strength and dignity,
destined for more than
a peep show or bawdy house;
Yours is a value of infinite proportions.
You hold the power of relationship in your fair fingers.
Woman of the world,
I am one with you;
I dream big dreams
that we will stand tall in our beauty,
innocence and purity intact,
to sprinkle our earth with peace and hope…
Meanwhile, Melody Muses... 
Beautiful poem, Melody! And that’s a beautiful lily (I love lilies, I have many daylilies in my garden).
Thank you, Madilyn! Lilies are among my very favorites in my garden. The daylilies are just beginning, too, so there should be lots of pictures coming! 🙂
This is a WOW one, Melody–beautiful truths here, and some pain. God bless you–love, Caddo
The women of the world bear much pain – standing together in the Truth of our true beauty helps us all!
Hear hear! 🙂
Indeed! 🙂
This is a beautiful reflection of a painful reality. And a beautiful photograph.
Thank you David! Our world holds many painful realities – along with its beauty! Thank you for your wise comment.
WOW, so deeply thoughtful words of expression in a realitiy that touches many!!! Job well done!!!
W
Women have suffered so deeply throughout history – and we all to some extent lie with their scars. Thank you for your support of this piece – it means a lot!
Marvelous!
Thank you, Maria!