Tomorrow marks International Womens Day, I have chosen to mark the occasion with this from the poet Janet Dube from her collection Lifeline which was published by Gomer in 2000.
Janet Dube was born in Fulham, London and now lives in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. She studied at St David's University College , Lampeter, and has worked as a teacher and playworker. She was active in feminism and the anti-war movement.
I am the atom
tiny, invisible, powerless,
Yet from my body
came the word, for I
am the seed of all that is;
for I was in the beginning
and without me was not
anything made that was made;
and I am the sand,
yet more than the sand;
and I am the stars,
yet more than the stars;
and I am the hungry;
yet more than the hungry;
and I am the rich,
yet more than the rich;
and I the healing water
and I the cleansing earth
and I the seed of all that is
am divided against myself;
tiny, invisible powerless
I am divided,
and I am you.