Return Oh Woman ~ Free verse poetry

I publish this piece of writing with a burdened prayer in my heart. Around the age of 11 or 12 I was introduced to the idea of biblical womanhood, the home keeper, and help meet. It sparked with the childhood dream to be a wife and mommy. The little games of house I played as a young child (and on occasion played with the little ones around me,) were no longer were simple games, it was a dream.

But I hadn’t realized that this dream was being attacked.

When I was ten, my mother introduced me to the book “Beautiful girlhood” by Mabel Hale, but I struggled to grasp it. When I was 12 I was given “Queen of the Home” compiled by Jennifer McBride, and that was kindling added to the sparks. As my teen years progressed my dreams grew, shrinking and and fluctuating as I grew in maturity and in my walk with God.

My childhood dream remained.

Those who know me would likely tell you my dream is to be a Doula and Midwife. But those who know me really, really, well know my ultimate dream in that of wife and motherhood.

My vision of those roles is so much different than what it taught and promoted. Honestly it is tough some days to keep a clean view and an encouraged heart about it. I wrote this poem to be an encouragement to myself, and decided to publish it to hopefully be an encouragement to others.

I do not intend for my words to be harsh, judgmental, or condemning, but to be a request and encouragement to reclaim what the world has worked so hard to destroy, the biblical feminine role we call womanhood. Return with me to what our Lord made us for!

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Oh woman, return to your womanhood!

Return to your calling, return to what you have so willingly walked away from!

You have built your empires, away from your castles and babes.

You have left your loves for power and strength.

For what? I ask?

You have left your fathers and husbands, siblings and children, and taken up arms in wars that are not ours to wage.

You have tried to be something you are not --,you were not meant to be politicians and soldiers out in the battles of politics and wars

You have willingly walked from your calling in search of what?

For vanity of a well known name? Some glory or power over the nations?

Do you not know? It is today's mothers who raise tomorrow's warriors that are the truly powerful.

I plead with you return to your womanhood!

Lay down the scepters of your empires, lay down your weapons of warfare, lay down this vain striving of power.

Pick up the scepter of your castles, dust off your queen’s crown.

Lay hold of the power of a tender mother’s love.

strive in vain no longer, strive for something nobler than you have fought for.

Stand in resolution beside our defenders when they are beside us, stand beside them in prayer when they are away from home and hearth.

be waiting to welcome them back to a refuge when they return.

Raise up today the children who will rise in the world tomorrow.

Teach them that kindness, love, and honesty are the only way to win in a world full of hate.

Teach them to love even when they are hated.

Teach them to be kind even when they are abused.

Teach them to be truthful when they are attacked with lies.

Do not forget how our wonderful Creator made us!

He made us different and uniquely for a reason. He made us to do the things men by nature can not do.

Our fathers and husbands, siblings and children---they need our special difference.

Learn to love home: the sticky fingers, the sweet adoring voices, endless loads of laundry---let them remind you that you are not in naked poverty.

The never ending stacks of dishes, let them remind you that you do not suffer the poverty of starvation and hunger.

You hold something more powerful than you know!

Therefore woman! Return to your womanhood!

It is not to late. Only when the dirt is thrown upon your coffin is it too late to turn back.

Our God is a redeeming God, so return while your heart still has a beat and your pulse still rushes in your veins!

Be blessed by your gift given of God, and return to your womanhood.

~H.S.