Here is a woman
who loves life and herself
every curve of her body shouts it.
Big round breasts rest
on a proud stomach
help up by strong hips
and thighs sure of themselves.
Her face is a mystery
her head ringed with eyes.
She is looking out; she is looking in.
Her seeing protects us.

In their labor, women called to her.
She eased them, released 
the child from the womb to lay at the breast,
winked as she disappeared.
She took young girls into the forest
to initiate them into sensuality:
they would stride back, holding hands,
eyes shining and their long hair tangled.
In winter, she came to the women’s huts
to mend nets and tell bawdy stories.
Outside, the men would stir uneasily
at the raucous happy laughter.

Goddess of creativity
pregnant women, earth and sea:

Come back.  In your glow
our sense of possibility will balloon,
our dreams become fluid
full and fertile.