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MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE
FOR THE WOMEN OF THE CONGO
(For The Women Of The World)
 
By Theresa Davis
​
Now that you have touched the
women you have struck a rock,
you have dislodged a boulder,
you will be crushed.


​Women’s Freedom Song, August 1956

continental shifts only change our geography
the topography of pain still prevalent
concrete or dirt
our feet walk the same paths
streaked in blood sweat trials tribulations


fingers tangled
screams swallowed
womb traitors
your fear betrays you

violence
your cowards way out
and still
we wipe constellations from our eyes
rest hands on hips that bear the world pain and sorrow
women know
what the future looks like
umbilical cords of hope tie us to our oppressors
we know
that without us you would not be here
to spread your violence
full circle

to we
who are
your grandmothers
your mothers
your sisters
your daughters
your fear betrays you


rape our flesh
rape your homeland
starve your futures
you have forgotten where you come from
sold your souls to neglect
noosed your necks with torn hymens
that stretch the globe
marking times past and present
nothing is forgotten here

women
we are no foreigner to pain
nurture in our nature
you mistake it for weakness
you murders
of motherhood
of humanity

we nurtured you in our wombs
cradled you to our breast
let life touch the back of your throats
and like levees we break

sometimes

but make no mistake

Now that you have touched the
women you have struck a rock,
you have dislodged a boulder,
you will be crushed.

and the warm flowing womb waters
that once embraced you
will no longer tolerate these transgressions
and we will no longer birth you by water
womb traitors

it will be
by fire

next time




​

  • HOME ISSUE #3
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY AND PROSE
  • BLACK MUSIC PHOTO ESSAY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • VISUAL ART GALLERY
  • BIOGRAPHIES
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • Support Merge Literary Magazine
  • ISSUE #2 CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • FEATURED WRITERS AND ARTISTS
  • MERGE LITERARY MAGAZINE PRINT EDITION
  • Mission and Content
  • About US
  • POETRY
  • ESSAYS ARTICLES AND FICTION
  • Multimedia Art Review
  • PHOTOGRAPHY CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
  • ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
  • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
  • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
  • ISSUE #1 POLITICAL AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
    • Mission and Content
    • About US
    • POETRY
    • PROSE
    • ART ILLUSTRATION
    • ESSAYS AND PLAY
    • MULTI-MEDIA QUILT REVIEW
    • WRITERS AND ARTISTS BIOS
    • SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
    • Support Merge Literary Magazine