Still Roaring, Maybe

Wild, swinging through trees gods gave me,  I did 

not seek out love, intelligence, fun, joy 

or gain but tried to touch ground once between 

passions open like obstacles to peace.

I twinkle now at living dangerously

on edgy movements for freedom of speech,

race equality, equal access to

education, affirmative action ...

Stop killing each other in undeclared 

war, start Head start, end alley abortion,

make birth control available, free love,

free food, free truth, let rock musicians live,

hold me, help me, I’ll help, I’m here always

Community women, we roared inside 

and sang aloud, separately strengthened

to return for peace, justice and nuclear-

free zones; but froze, alike being too hard
and no security, I backed away

and said This space is mine, not yours or thine

and fed the roar inside alone sometimes.

Optimism dimmed but retirement zoned,

I watched for signs of new youth organized. 

Now ex-hippie, Jewish Pagan Quaker

single childless woman, I trade only

in experience reaped in story, dance,

poetry and prayer to meet them there.

I think I'm writing a novel; I've been thinking this for years.  Kerry's hot Sunday Mini-Challenge ~ Release Your Inner Wild Woman at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.   There are so many parts to the whole that this has a maddening non-specificity while waiting for the story to be told.

Copyright © 2013 S.L.Chast
Chosen for book 11/9/2013