I AM A WOMAN

I am a woman that has already walked my childhood miles

He treats me like a child when we are in

Our lover’s quarrels,

Making peace from a war he started

He stretched out his arms of love,

Like the passionate woman that I am

I ran into his promising arms like

A child in the innocents to forgive my man

That night I was unarmed, lost in the dreams of love

Forgetting I am never to be beguiled

By that man’s love again

I AM A WOMAN FIRST: A WOMAN LAST

Wearing my pink laced nighty

Hoping for sneak-preview

into the memory of what I once felt

With the man I used to love

I AM A WOMAN WHO HAS WALKED MY CHILDHOOD MILES

Moving through my mind’s eye

I took a forward step

I opened up my eyes resisting the urge to try

One tear drop spilled for the side of my face

 I must step up to the plate and realize

I AM A WOMAN FIRST: A WOMAN LAST

I started to slip back into reality

I am not that man’s child I fought with all my might

I am a woman first: A woman last

I AM A WOMAN WHO HAVE WALKED MY CHILDHOOD MILES

Now that I can see

I choose to let him be

While I move through my life with a little dignity

I am a woman first: A woman last

I am still a woman without a man

To hold me closely in his arms

Securely feeling safe

I AM A WOMAN WHO HAS WALKED MY CHILDHOOD MILES

My body goes limp at the touch of his

Memorable hands_ stroking my back

With an intended romance love

I AM A WOMAN WHO HAS WALKED MY CHILDHOOD MILES

I am reminded that I am not a little boy’s toy

Being a woman

It won’t happen this way for me again

Loosing the battle in reliving

this man fantasy in untrusting task

I must remove this blindfold mask

To be the property in one man’s world

because I choose to live in my womanly bliss

I AM A WOMAN FIRST: A WOMAN LAST

ROSETTA NESBITT

(c) September 19, 2002